Possibilities
by Devaki Faolan
Summary: One shots showing the possibilities of persalle. I can continue any of these just let me know. For now I was trying to just get the ideas I had started out there for people to read.
1. Post 3x24 option 1

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

Trigger Warning: contains thoughts of self harm and excessive drinking.

They walked away from one another, emotions unsaid, and joined the team and other residents of New Orleans in rebuilding prides bar. They took time off calling in another team while they helped rebuild not only prides bar but Clearwater too. They made over the church that the chaplain had used. Helped residents get funding to fix up their houses. They worked with the team and together for a few weeks neither saying anything to the other about anything personal.

Chris went home each night and drank himself to sleep. They weren't bantering like they used to. They weren't together more than was needed for the rebuild projects they were working on. He was having a hard time seeing her everyday and not at least acting like they used to. He didn't think he could keep this up not and be right where he used to be right beside her all the time. He could smell her shampoo still in his truck.

Sonja went home each night and cleaned her apartment over and over again until she passed out from exhaustion. She could see the happy light that was always in his eyes dimming. He stopped being the life of any gathering. He rarely spoke anymore to anyone. But then neither did she. She didn't know how to move them past this. She hated that she missed him when he was usually just across a room from her.

After a month they had finally finished their projects and had all been cleared to work again. Any pending charges against the team had been dropped and hamiltons trial had started.

Percy walked into the office with a box of donuts and was surprised to see pride interviewing someone. Wasn't their team full now, With Gregorio and Sebastian added on? She dropped the donuts in the kitchen and grabbed a mug of coffee before heading to her desk. On her way she noticed that Chris's desk was strangely clean. She bubled her coffee when she noticed his personal pictures were gone, spilling some on her hand and her shirt. "Shit!" She yelped flapping her hand to try and cool the burning.

"You ok Percy?" Pride asked curious at her reaction. Hadn't chris told the rest of the team he was leaving?

"I...ah... yeah, just spilled coffee on myself."

That day was pretty slow mostly pride interviewed people and she with the rest of the team went over the open cases the fill in team was still working on getting caught up. She walled up her hurt and worked nearly silently as everyone talked as they worked around her. Apparently chris had warned everyone else he was leaving. Told them his mom and Cade needed more from him than he could give from New Orleans while they were in Alabama. He had straight out tried to quit but pride refused putting in papers for a leave of absence for him.

She was relieved when she got home and could let her guard down. She went straight to bed and cried herself to sleep only to wake up at an ungodly hour in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep.

She went on for weeks like that crying herself to sleep only to wake up earlier and earlier. The nightmares started not long after the first night. She couldn't really remember them but she woke up crying most of the time now too.

The team tried to get her to go out but she refused. Pride had to beg her to say anything at all most days. When she finally fell asleep at her desk pride kicked the rest of the team out and let her sleep. He stayed with her wanting to talk about what was going on. She woke nearly an hour later breathing hard her heart going too fast and tears streaming down her face.

Pride walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. She really looked like she needed it. When he asked what was going on she couldn't say anything just started crying all over again.

"Percy if you can't tell me what's going on I'm going to have to put you on leave." He told her when her tears finally dried up. "Falling a sleep at work can be very dangerous for not just yourself but the whole team. I'll see if I can't talk chris into filling in for a little while until you are better able to work."

Chris worked himself to the bone each day fixing up his mommas house, the garage loft that Cade was living in and the other outbuildings on her property. He was methodically eating dinner when pride called he answered with a simple hello. Not acknowledging he knew who was calling.

"Chris?" Pride asked. "How have you been?"

"Pretty busy, how about you? The team?" Chris hoped he would say something about Percy. She hadn't reached out after he left. Not that he told her he was leaving either and he hadn't called her. So he didn't blame her.

"Getting back into the swing of things. I was hoping I could talk you into working for a few weeks. Sonja's got something personal going on and it's starting to effect her work. I asked her to take a few weeks and get it straightened out."

"Is she ok?" Chris asked having a hard time masking the panic he was feeling.

"I honestly don't know what's going on, but I don't think ok is it. She won't talk to anyone, and she has slowly become a zombie. She fell asleep at work today and woke up in a panic."

"I'll try to work something out, I was supposed to start this week as a sheriff down here." Chris answered hoping that he didn't sound strange.

Once off the phone chris booked the earliest flight back to New Orleans he could and told his momma that he had to go back to the city for at least a few days he would let her know.

Her car was in the drive, but she didn't answer when he knocked. He pulled out his keys and let himself in. She didn't answer when he called her name and he couldn't find her. Finally he peaked in her master bathroom and found her passed out over the toilet. Gently he lifted her and carried her out to the bed. He laid down with her and she snuggled into his chest. He stroked his fingers threw her hair after checking her for a fever and to see how steady her pulse was. Eventually his own exhaustion over took him and he fell asleep holding her tightly in his arms.

He woke later to her forcefully pulling herself from his grasp and running back to the bathroom which was followed by retching. He jumped up to follow her and he held back her hair as she was sick again. Gently chris rubbed her back, "what's wrong Sonja?" He asked when she seemed to be done for now.

She shrugged and shuffled back to bed. He followed and sat on the edge slowly rubbing her back.

"I haven't been sleeping well. I have been having nightmares, not that I could tell you what about as I don't remember them but I wake up panicking, usually crying my eyes out."

"You slept for most of the night just now. I got here about 9 and found you in the bathroom. I carried you in here and laid down with you. I didn't mean to fall asleep I'm sorry I haven't been getting much sleep either. But it's nearly 8 in the morning now. Did you have any nightmares last night?"

"Not that I remember." After a pause she asked, "what are you doing here?" She kept her head down and eyes closed not wanting him to see how much she needed his answer to be that he missed her.

"Pride called," her stomach sank and rolled but she couldn't muster the energy to get up. "He asked me to fill in while you took some time. When I asked what was up he said he didn't really know and I was worried about you." He noticed then the green look on her face and got her a trash can just in time. "Have you been to the doctor?" He asked worried about her.

"It's nothing just a bug." She told him shaking her head.

"Would you go anyway for me?" He asked her. "I flew in to see you because I was worried. This throwing up without a fever makes me more worried." His hands resumed rubbing her back once he could put down the trash can.

She shook her head tears escaping her eyes. "Why are you so worried? You left and didn't even say goodbye..." she brought a hand to her mouth and dry heaved into the trash can chris pulled up for her.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry I was a coward. I honestly thought I was doing what you would want. We had stopped talking and I couldn't take being that close to you each day knowing how I felt about you and not having any relationship with you." He paused wondering if he should tell her about how bad his drinking got the depression he was feeling. He felt like a sick bastard because even just sitting here with her as she was sick made him feel better than he had in months. "I was drinking myself pass out drunk every night just to get a little sleep. When the thoughts I was having scared me enough I told pride I was leaving and went home to spend time with Cade and momma. I was ashamed of myself and I couldn't tell you that." He added that last bit with his face turned away from her, his head bowed like he was getting ready to be kicked.

Sonja's eyes widened. She groped for his hand. "You were thinking about self harm?" She asked him worried about him now. When he just nodded and kept his head turned away shoulders hunched she brought his hand to her chest tears were streaming down her face. "Oh god chris, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be sorry. Depression isn't someone's fault it was just a spiral I was having a hard time pulling myself out of. As soon as I had the thought I pulled myself back and away from the situation that I couldn't get a handle on. I have been going to counseling while I was gone and have been doing much better."

"If I go to the doctors would you go with me? I haven't been sleeping and I have been sick for days. I wouldn't want to drive like this." She asked him, letting him drop it for right now.

She was able to get in so she got dressed and chris drove her there. She asked him to stay with her when they called her back. The doctor checked her out and took some blood. She also had Sonja step down the hall to the restroom and give a urine sample as well. Sonja was shocked when she whipped out a pregnancy test and plunked it into the sample she had just given.

"I assumed that you might not want to tell your friend about this particular test."

Sonja nodded, then shook her head. "If i am then it would have to be his. He and I only slept together once, but he's the only person I have slept with recently. But then I have to question if he remembers that night as we were kinda drunk."

Sonja nearly fainted when the wait time was over and the test was positive. How do you tell the man you love, but doesn't know you love him that you are pregnant and he's the daddy?

"You have a regular obstetrician correct? You should make an appointment with them. Do you know how far along you are?"

"just over two months. Like I said we only slept together once and I haven't been with anyone else in over a year."

Chris took her home and helped her back into bed. She asked him to lay down with her. He spooned in behind her and rested his chin on her head. She waited so long to speak that he thought she had fallen asleep.

"How do you feel about kids?" She finally asked.

He was taken aback but chris answered anyway, "tucker taught me that I'd really want to have kids some day, and melody taught me that it needed to be with the right person."

"You remember that conversation we put aside for the good of the team a few months ago?" When he said yes she continued, "I think we need to actually have that conversation now. I was scared before, still am but I learned something at the doctors that makes me terrified not to have this conversation." She let out a breath and continued. "I have feelings for you, not just friend/partner feelings. I think I have fallen for you."

Chris rolled her over in his arms so he could see her face. "I know I have fallen for you Sonja. Why are you terrified?" He asked his fingers kneading her back.

Sonja buried her face in his chest and said in a rush. "When she took me for the urine test she did a pregnancy test, it was positive. I haven't slept with anyone in over a year except you."

Frowning chris asked, "when did we...?" He paused and muttered, "shit, the night before I left?" When she nodded he continued. "I thought that was a dream," with a self deprecating laugh he added, "that was not out of the ordinary for dreams for me. Shit Sonja you told me how you felt that night didn't you? Or did my mind make that part up?"

"I told you," she said in a small voice.

"I woke up and you were gone, I thought it was a dream, and I couldn't handle that my mind was telling me that you cared for me. Not when I couldn't really have you in my life. I was still drunk from the night before, and god I'm sorry Sonja. I put us both through hell because I was drunk." He pulled back from her angry with himself.

She pulled him back into her arms and made him look her in the eyes. "Forget about that for right now. Just tell me how you feel about me, and us having a baby..."

"Can I tell you a secret?" When she nodded he continued, "when tucker was here I used to day dream about you being his mom, not melody." He was grinning and slid down the bed so his face was level with her belly.

He pulled up her shirt and nuzzled her belly. "Hey there peanut, I'm your daddy. You are going to take quite a few people by surprise. Mommy and daddy's boss for one and grandma for another. Heck you took daddy by surprise. But that doesn't mean I love you any less. I already love you to pieces just like I do your mommy. She might not be ready to hear that though so maybe keep it between us. Maybe I should ask mommy on a date and show her I can be romantic and charming not just a drunk roll in the hay. Not that you are going to know anything about that until you are at least 40." He kissed her belly lightly and crawled back up to hold her. "Would you go out with me tonight?" He asked her not wanting to waste anytime as he wanted them Married before the baby came, not that he was going to tell her that, she would dig in her heals.

She just nodded her throat clogged with emotions from watching, and listening to him interact with their baby. They fell asleep like that holding each other close her shirt still pulled up and exposing her belly. His hand resting on her belly protectively.

Brody knocked on her door but they didn't hear as they were sleeping. She let herself in with the key she still had. She walked through the apartment looking for Sonja. Pride had called her and said that she might need someone to talk to cause she wasn't talking to the team. She found them sleeping in her bed, both fully clothed besides that Percy's shirt was pulled up and his hand rested on her bare belly. They even still had shoes on. She wondered what chris was doing here. Pride had told her he had said he wasn't sure when he could make it in when they talked last night but here he was sleeping with Sonja like that was normal for him.

Pride had wondered to her about chris leaving and Sonja's emotional state changing at the same time. There might be something to that theory that something happened between the two of them that cause chris to run and Sonja to pull into herself.

Brody went to the kitchen and started a soup, that was something vegan she could make as long as Sonja had vegetable broth and she did.

They woke later to the scent of the soup, both sent a questioning look to the other asking silently if they had gotten up to make food only to return to bed and sleep.

"Who else has a key?" Chris asked knowing he had locked the door behind them when they returned from the doctors.

"Brody, pride, my sisters, and my mom."

"Ok, I'm good with telling any of those people everything that happened as most of them will need to know eventually anyway. So you can decide how much you want to share with them right this moment. I don't mean to put pressure on you I just know you are private and may need to work up to telling them some of what happened the last few months. And I wanted to make sure you know I'm ok with anything. I want you to know that I meant what I said, I love you both to pieces." He said before he kissed her.

There was a wolf whistle from the doorway followed by the question, "both?" It was Brody and Sonja ducked her head against Chris's chest blushing.

Grinning chris asked, "what no questioning that I love Sonja? Just curious who the other person is?"

"It's been obvious to me for awhile that you loved Sonja. So yes just wondering who the other person you love is?"

Chris looked questioningly at Sonja at her nod he answered, "we don't have the answer to that yet but I'm going to be sure their last name is lasalle."

Brody gaped at them for a moment seeing her shirt up and his hand still cradling her stomach for what it was. "You guys slept together? And you didn't tell me!" She shrieked.

Chris ducked his head and Sonja just nodded. He kissed her neck and started to get up but his movement triggered her running to the bathroom again.

"Well I guess I'm glad I made soup. So how long have you two been a thing then?" Brody asked as he walked toward the doorway.

Instead of joining her he went into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub and helped Sonja with her hair. "Um what time is it now?" Chris asked in response.

"Almost 1 why?"

"Then I'd say about 2 hours and we slept most of the time."

"Then how is she... or is it not yours...?"

Sonja patted Chris's leg letting him know it was alright. "No, the baby is mine. I'm just a dumb ass. I was drunk and when I woke up that morning and she was already gone I thought it was a dream. Drunk was my state of being at the time, not that anyone on the team knew that."

Sonja seemed to be finished so they headed to the kitchen and Brody gave each of them a bowl of soup. Sonja made a face with each spoonful until Brody asked what was wrong. Chris didn't seem to have an issue and it tasted fine to her.

"It taste great Mer, that's not my issue. My stomach wants chicken noodle but my brain knows I'm vegan." She answered looking upset.

"I'm sorry city mouse." Chris said looking like somebody had sucker punched him.

"Chris it's not your fault. Everyone talks about crazy pregnancy cravings. Hell I have heard some women crave weird things like dirt not just the more normal pickles and ice cream." Sonja Tried to assure him.

"So what are you two going to do?" Meri asked them.

"Talk momma into selling and moving here. That might be an easy sell when she hears about peanut, Cade too. I wasn't fibin' when I said they need more than I can give them this far away. Since pride didn't let me quit I can ask to return from my leave. Move back into my house." Silently he added to himself talk Sonja into dating him, get her moved in with him or if she wanted a new place for the both of them, and get married.

"What about the two of you?" Meri asked seeing Sonja's face fall when he didn't say anything about them.

"I thought we were a given. I asked her out on a date tonight already. We can't make dating move too fast, that's a whole other way to get to know someone. Like I said I love them both, I personally am not going anywhere. I'll be here for 3am cravings and go out to find whatever craziness peanut wants to try. Or 3am feedings and diaper changes." Tears leaked out of Sonja's eyes and chris bopped his shoulder into hers. "I love you Sonja and I'm going to do everything I can to make you happy."

They talked and caught up while they ate. When Brody was about to leave chris asked. "So what if the team needed you back maybe for an extended period of time?"

"What do you mean?" She asked suspiciously.

"That if I'm moving back I won't have time to work while Sonja is on her leave, and then when pride finds out about peanut he will probably stick Sonja on desk duty. They will at least need someone until we are finished moving." He shrugged and added, "we miss you."

"I'll think about it." She answered.

They asked Brody not to say anything about chris being in town or the baby to pride. just let him know that Sonja was already doing better but that she wanted to take a little time for herself.

Chris called his mom and Cade once Brody left.

"Hey momma." Chris said cheerfully when she answered the phone.

"Hi baby, so what was so important that you tore out of here last night like the hounds of hell were chasing you?" She asked not beating around the bush at all.

Chris grinned and said, "I'm glad I did cause I found out some amazing news today. I left yesterday because pride called, and said he needed me back for a few weeks because he had to put Sonja on leave. something was wrong, and she wasn't talking to anyone about what was wrong."

"So you flew out of here to go back to work at a place you left because you were having a problem?" She asked confused.

"No, I told pride it might be a few days before I could get here. I came to see Sonja..." his mother cut him off.

"You went to see her? Wait you said you had amazing news what was that?" She sounded excited then.

Chris paused and looked over at Sonja. Since his mother was on speaker phone she could hear where they were in the conversation. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him before nodding the encouragement he needed. "Well when I got here I found her sound asleep laying on the toilet. After she threw up this morning too I forced her to go to the doctor..."

"Christopher Lasalle did you knock up that poor girl and run away?" His mother roared at him.

"In my defense momma I was drunk, and she was gone in the morning I thought the one night we had was a dream until we talked today." Chris answered.

"You didn't say you didn't knock her up..." she started, her voice less harsh, more like wonder.

"Yeah momma Sonja's pregnant. And I got her to agree to a date tonight."

"You can't see it but I'm shaking my head at you. Only you could do this so backwards. Tell me something, i think I already know the answer but I want to hear you say it. You love this girl don't you?"

"Yeah momma I do." Chris said keeping his eyes on Sonja.

"That's good baby, make sure she knows that." She paused and then gushed, "I'm gonna have a grand baby! I have to sell the house and find me something up there so I can help y'all with babysitting since I know y'all will want to keep workin'. You gotta tell Cade he'll be so excited to have a niece or a nephew!"

"He was my next call. But I figured I had to tell their gram first before their uncle." Chris said making his mom gasp at being called gram for the first time.

"When do I get to meet Sonja?" She asked.

Chris looked at her questioningly. So she said, "how about I fly back with chris and help get everyone packed up to come back here? Pride did give me time off. It would give me time to get to know your family."

Grinning happily chris kissed her and hugged her close with one hand still holding his mother on the phone in his other. "We'll be down tonight momma. See you in a few hours."

"Ok baby boy see you and ms Sonja soon. Oh I'm so excited I might just go shopping."

"Momma wait until we get you moved to start shopping other wise we'll have to move all the stuff up here too." Chris tried to tell her but she had hung up. Shaking his head chris looked down at Sonja. "I love you. Thank you for being willing to do that."

"I love you too chris, we are going to be family and from the stories you tell I feel like I already know them. Let's call Cade, then I'll take a nap while you work on getting us back to Alabama tonight."

Cade knowing chris so well figured something was wrong with Sonja so when he answered the phone instead of hello he said, "is she ok?" He didn't even have to say who.

"Yeah Cade I'm ok." Sonja answered.

"Well hello ms Sonja. I didn't expect you to be on the phone. Is chris ok?" Worry was creeping into his tone that she was calling from Chris's phone.

"Yeah bro, I'm fine. You are just on speaker." Chris answered this time.

"Oh, ok. so what's up?" Cade asked curious.

"Oh I just wanted to talk to the uncle of peanut." Sonja said. Her hand flew to her mouth as soon as she said it trying to hold in a giggle.

"Who is peanut? Did chris get a dog while he was gone or something?"

Sonja scoffed, offended he thought she meant a pet. Chris cut her off when she opened her mouth looking like she was going to bite something. "Cade, peanut is a term for a small human of yet unknown gender."

"Uncle?" Cade asked confused, "but you said you guys hadn't..."

"It's a short sad story that has a happy ending. Basically I was drunk, and didn't know it wasn't a dream, and caused us both two months of heartache by running away like a dumbass. I'm going to get really sick of telling this story." He grumbled the last part to Sonja.

"So Sonja's pregnant then? Since you are on the phone teasing me about it and you said happy ending I assume that you are both happy about having a baby together? Does this also mean that you are together?"

Chris realizing he never asked her what she thought about kids or having one with him looked at her quickly his eyes worried.

"Chris is over the moon about it, he talked to my belly earlier. I never thought I'd have kids, but I like kids, and I wouldn't want to even try with anyone other than chris." Sonja answered for both of them. "We haven't had a real date yet but we are working on it."

"Real date?" Chris asked her confused.

Sonja let out a short laugh, "please like you didn't think that before everything blew up. I didn't realize that we were alone more and more often for meals and drinks. You pick me up and drop me off every day. heck we have even gone to the grocery store together. I have stuff at your house, and you have stuff here." Her voice hitched on that last part and chris pulled her closer against him resting his chin on her head. "We were basically dating before, and just didn't call it that." She finished.

"Right, I'll see you guys soon, this sounds like a personal conversation and I'm gonna hang up now. Congrats though guys I'm glad you are happy."

With Cade off the phone chris slid it back into his pocket, and put both arms around Sonja. "I honestly didn't notice. I just wanted to be with you. So how long then do you estimate we have been dating but not calling it that? And if you thought of it that way at the time why didn't you say something, and why the reaction for the hug?"

Sonja shook her head. "I didn't think that way when it was happening. It wasn't until after the hug, and all of the other awkward moments we had that I figured it out. But I thought you had planned it like that, so that I wouldn't realize we were dating until I was already in love with you. It worked but I'm glad it wasn't something you plotted behind my back."

Chris picked her up and carried her to the bed. Gently he laid her down following her down so that he lay next to her. He kissed her gently one hand trailing down her body to rest on her belly. "I'm so glad you love me, I love you so much. I missed you everyday while I was gone. I thought about you all day. I was driving myself crazy wondering if you were ok. If I did the right thing. If you missed me. I was mostly just going through the motions. I fixed every thing I could find broken on the property."

"I missed you too." She confessed, she reached under the covers and got the shirt she had been sleeping with while he was gone and showed it to him. "I was basically using your shirt as a pillow case. But it's losing the smell of you, I need another one."

"That's not a problem." He said taking off his shirt one handed, and giving it to her. He was reaching to take the other one and put it on, as she had said she wanted a nap and he needed to book them a flight to Alabama, when he noticed the look in her eyes. A huge grin spread across his face, "like what you see?" He asked in a husky voice.

She nodded and moved closer to him for a kiss her hands trailing lightly over his well defined chest and abs. She made a little happy noise when he shifted them so she was on her back and he was leaning over her from beside her, deepening their kiss. Tenderly he kissed along her jaw to tease her ear lobe before nipping and kissing his way down her neck. She let out a small moan when he reached the base of her neck so he nibbled, and sucked there a moment before moving on. He had just kissed his way to the tops of her breasts when they heard someone knocking. Nearly growling chris got off the bed and stalked to the door and Sonja raced after him.

"Wait!" She said to him before she could catch up. "My place, I answer the door."

He stopped and pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard before letting her lead the way to the door. She stood on tip toe to see out the peep hole. She pulled back and shooed him away from the door.

"Grab anything of yours that you didn't leave in the bedroom and get in the bedroom. It's Gregorio probably here to check up on me, but I'm not ready to deal with the crowing she is going to do about being right that we slept together."

Chris looked around quickly as Gregorio knocked again. He snatched up his boots and went down the hall the the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Sonja tried to look tired and like Gregorio woke her up and opened the door.

"Gregorio, what's up?" She asked yawning hugely.

"I just wanted to check on you. Pride said you weren't feeling well and were going to take some time. But I didn't think that you were really not feeling well. I think you are depressed and I didn't want you to go through that alone."

"That's a great thought Gregorio thank you, but honestly I'm ok. I wasn't sleeping for a little bit and it was starting to drive me a little batty but I slept all last night and quite a bit of today. Pride sent Brody over earlier she left happier that I was doing better already."

"You sure your ok? Not depressed?"

Sonja smiled and laughed slightly. "Depressed for me means cleaning the house top to bottom in the middle of the night because all I can hear is my mother saying it's not perfect." She motioned at her living room which held a pile of dirty dishes and some assorted clothes laying about. She hadn't had the energy to actually clean in a while. "I haven't done that in a while."

"If you are sure." Gregorio said looking unsure she believed it.

"I'm good Gregorio, thanks for checking on me." Sonja said trying to keep thoughts of chris talking to her belly in her head so she knew her eyes would hold the smile she was giving.

"Hey speaking of depression. Have you spoken to chris recently? Do you know if he's doing ok?"

"I actually spoke to him not long ago. He sounded good. He said he decided to move back, find a place here for his mom and brother. He misses the team and the night life. Apparently his mom lives in a tiny town with no late night food or music, where could he take a lady?" That made them both laugh.

"Ok, I'll get out of your hair. But you let me know if you need anything. Even just to talk." Gregorio told her giving her a hug. Feeling better because that was the most Sonja had said in a couple of months to anyone.

"Thank you for checking on me, but I think I'm just going to go back to bed. Try and finish the dream I was having and then maybe get some dinner." Sonja said smiling to herself for her cleverness.

"Sleeping too much isn't a good thing either..."

Grinning Sonja said, "who said anything about sleeping?"

"Oh my god! Do you have someone here? I didn't know and you let me stand out here and yammer on! Go get you some! Anyone I know?"

"Maybe, but maybe not. It's new and if I was ready to share I'd have let him out of the bedroom while we talked."

Suspicious Gregorio asked, "how new?"

"Not saying, now shoo so I can get back in there."

Finally Gregorio gave her a hug and left grumbling about not knowing who she had in her bedroom. When she shut the door chris immediately opened the bedroom door.

"You know that's going to drive her nuts right? And now she is going to pop in every once and a while until she finds out or you tell her."

Sonja shrugged. "Mostly I just wanted her gone so we could get back to where we were." She walked over to him wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on tip toe to kiss him.

Chris kissed her back, his arms coming around her, and molding her body against his. His hands ran slowly over her back lower until he cupped her ass in both hands. She made a happy noise into his mouth before he used that grip to lift her into his arms. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bed.

Later she lay sleeping snuggled into his chest as he held his arms up behind her head to use his phone and book them a flight to Alabama. It was nearly four so he did the latest flight out he could nearly ten that night. That should give him time to get her packed and then to the airport. It wouldn't be as romantic as he wanted but they could have dinner at the airport once they were checked in.

He set his phone on the night stand and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck and just breathed her in. He nuzzled her and said, "I hate to wake you up Sonja, but we need to pack you some things before we have to leave for the airport."

She opened her eyes and looked at him emotions swimming in her eyes. "I'm glad you are still here. I was dreaming that you were gone again."

Choked up Chris looked her in the eyes and said "I'm so sorry for doing this to us. But I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. You are going to have to pry me off with a crowbar. I've had enough time without you in my life to let me know I can't live without you. I was merely putting one foot in front of the other."

"That's better than I was doing. I fell apart on my own." She told him tears in her eyes. "We will get through this together, we have each other now and peanut."

"You sit here and direct me to what you want packed. I want you to keep relaxing since you haven't been sleeping well."

"I'm pregnant Chris not an invalid..."

"I know that, but I want to take care of you so let me? At least for today?" He asked. "Let's start with a bag." He said and walked over to her closet and turned on the light. "This looks to be carry on sized." He said pulling out a small rolling suitcase.

"It is, I have used it before." She told him watching as he walked around her room with nothing on. She might enjoy being taken care of, especially if he was always sans clothes.

Her smile made him smile at her and ask, "what?"

"Nothing, just enjoying the view. So let's start with shoes. I'll wear tennis shoes but take a pair of sandals in case we go out while we are gone, get the black ones with the bead work. Tennis shoes means the no show socks, enough for a few days, top left drawer. It's going to be warm so one pair of jeans a few shorts and a skirt."

Chris brought over her jeans and let her pick the pair she wanted. Then did the same with the shorts and skirts. And again with shirts. When she didn't say anything after shirts he grinned and said. "I do believe you are avoiding somethings. Now I wouldn't mind if you were walking around without a bra and underwear on but with my mom and brother around I figure you might mind. It might be especially fun when you wear the skirt."

Sonja laughed at him waggling his eyebrows at her and said, "not with other people around mister. Top right drawer. Just pull it out and bring it here. You'll pick the ones you think are sexy, and those can be uncomfortable."

Chris watched and looked through with her as she selected the items she was going to take. He didn't say anything but she could see the huge smile on his face. After he put the drawer back he went into the bathroom and got the items she requested there.

They drove to the airport hand in hand listening to whatever music was on the radio. Neither bothered to listen mostly just happy to be with the other again. They checked in and went through security, both having to be taken to a side room as they were federal agents traveling with their sidearms. Once that was done they walked hand in hand to dooky chase.

"I didn't know this was here." Sonja said smiling, as they took their seats, their carry on bags next to them.

"A couple of years I think, best food you can get in the airport." Chris answered, an answering smile on his face. "I did ask for a date tonight and since we were short on time this was the best I could do."

Once they had given their drink orders they went up to the buffet and looked over their options each selecting a few items here and there before going back to the table and their bags.

"You hadn't thought about kids before?" Chris asked.

"Not really, maybe as a little girl or a teenager. It's sort of something you talk about with your friends when you are playing. I as an adult had never really thought of myself with kids. I can see both of my sisters with kids. The older one has a couple and her and Mia dote on them. I like her kids but I was never around them enough to make me think about having one of my own. Besides with our job having kids means I will be out of the field for a long while. I like what we do, I don't want to do something else. Did you ever think about it before tucker at least."

Chris nodded and paused before saying anything else. "We had... we had just found out Savannah was pregnant..." he broke off his head down both hands resting on the table.

Sonja reached out and took his hands. "I didn't know Chris, I'm so sorry."

"When melody showed up with tucker, even though I couldn't stand her I wanted that little boy so badly to be mine. Savanah always told me I'd make a great dad. So I didn't even question her when she told me he was mine. I just took her word and tried to be the best at being his dad I could be. I was so embarrassed that I was lax enough with someone I didn't care about to have created a child though, that I couldn't share any of that with you. I was worried about what it would make you think of me and I was already starting to fall for you."

"Had you thought of any names?" Sonja asked.

"Maybe a middle name or two but no real first names. Mostly I have some family names that are often used for middle names. Zahl, Lyle, Mildred, and Augusta. They aren't first name material. And we don't have to use them just saying they are options. Do you have any names you would want?"

"What's your middle name?"

"Isaac, momma says after Christopher I needed a shorter middle name."

Sonja nodded, "Isaac would be cute. Not sure that works with your middle names though so we will have to start looking." Her face went white and her mouth fell open. Chris ran around to her side in case she collapsed like she looked like she was going to.

"Sonja? What's wrong city mouse?" He asked his voice cracking.

"We are going to have a baby. Neither of us knows anything about babies. We have so much to do, to learn, to buy. Oh god my mother is going to want to throw a shower!" She turned to look at him. Her eyes were wild and her breathing was rapid.

"Shh, shh, it will be ok. I'll be with you every step of the way. We'll do everything we can for our baby together. We'll make sure that they come into this world safe and happy and stay that way." Chris said as he gathered her in his arms. He rocked them gently as he listened to her breathing even out.

They finished eating not talking about babies anymore. Chris asked about her family. Knowing she had sisters and at least one of them had kids.

When they finished eating Chris paid their tab and they walked to their terminal to wait to be boarded. Chris surprised her when he pulled her to her feet the first time their planes information was called for boarding. That was generally when first class boarded. She was even more shocked when they stopped and he put their carry ons in the over head in first class and motioned for her to sit down.

"Why are we in first class?" She asked him nervously.

"I'd like to say because I wanted to treat you like the queen you are to me, but they were over booked and I may have dropped that we are federal agents. They may have then assumed we needed to get there quickly and just let us have first class for the coach price since that's all that was left." He admitted.

"Good, I was worried you paid for first class. For such a short flight I wouldn't bother. Something like going to Australia though that I would spring for first class for, that is a long flight."

Assured he didn't waist the money she sat back and snuggled into his side. He reminded her to strap in so she did before promptly falling asleep against his arm. Not even take off or landing woke her. Once they were back on the ground Chris unbuckled and turned so she was in his arms more fully. He stroked his arms over her telling her it was time to wake up. That they had landed.

She blinked up at him and smiled before turning green and bringing her hand to her mouth. Chris quickly gave her an airsick bag and held her hair talking to her sweetly as she puked.

One of the stewardesses came over worried. When Chris noticed her he smiled and said, "just found out she's pregnant, and that morning sickness is a misnomer. It's more like sick all day."

Nodding she walked away and came back with a can of ginger ale, a couple of packets of saltines and a mint. "I have been there, this might help her stomach. And the mint will help her feel better about her breath once this fit ends."

When Sonja was finished he took the bag to the stewardess and threw it out. Since they had just reached the gate Chris pulled down their bags and put the crackers and mint in the front pocket of her bag. He had already given her the ginger ale to sip. The rest of the first class passengers let them get off first not wanting to be near the puking lady as most had not heard what Chris had said to the stewardess.

His truck was already there and she sighed with contentment when she sank into the familiar seat, surrounded by the familiar scent of him.

"We have about a half hour drive to momma's why don't you try and get a little more sleep?" He suggested.

Sonja nodded and put up the center armrest, she lay her head on his thigh and curled up on the other two thirds of the seat, buckling the center seatbelt around herself. Chris rest a hand on her side as he drove, he kept the radio on quietly to drown out the road noise for her.

He pulled into his mothers drive and smiled at her rushing off the porch to meet Sonja. Chris eased out of the truck. trying not to wake Sonja he left the cab door open.

"Where is she?" His mom asked when she got closer.

Chris gestured to the truck and said, "sleeping, she's had a rough couple of months..."

His mom glared at him and moved around to see Sonja curled up on the seat. "Why didn't she just lay her seat back? There is plenty of room?"

Chris shrugged, that is what he had expected her to do when he suggested she get some more sleep. Not that he minded her laying her head on him. He liked the contact that had given them. "I suggested she try and get some sleep, she was sick on the plane. She is the one that laid like this."

Sonja popped open an eye about to grumble at Chris for waking her up but she saw his mom first and panicked. She tried wiping the sleep from her eyes, checked to make sure she hadn't drooled, patted her hair, she would have continued but his mom just motioned her out of the truck. As soon as she was out his mom wrapped her up in a huge hug.

"I'm so happy to meet you. Thank you for taking my stupid boy back. He loves you, and I know he will love your baby too." She whispered holding Sonja fiercely. Her words made tears spring to Sonja's eyes, and Chris tried to take over the hug from his mom but she shoed him away.

The hug lasted a long while both were teary eyed when they finally let go. His mom patted her on the back and said, "sometimes you just need a hug and a cry. Pregnancy causes that to be a more frequent need." She said the last with a pointed look at Chris. Letting him know that normally that duty would fall on him.

Chris nodded showing her he understood. "Momma this is Sonja Percy who is going to be the momma of your first grand baby. Sonja this is my momma, carol ann."

"What about the two of you?" She asked noticing that he hadn't said anything about them getting married.

"Momma relationships don't just happen over night." Chris responded but didn't give an actual answer. His mother hearing that just stared at him.

"He's still working on getting his mind around the fact we were basically dating before and didn't realize it. So he thinks he has to start at the beginning of the relationship when really we aren't anywhere near that phase." Sonja answered for them.

"Oh? What phase are we at then?" Chris asked curious where her mind was at on the subject.

"Well I'd say sleeping together, but that's not normally far along in a relationship for you. So maybe the I love you phase?" His mother snorted when she said sleeping together didn't mean much to Chris.

"Hey, you'll make momma think I have been sleeping with every female that walks and talks." Chris grumbled and Sonja laughed.

"Yeah that was my understanding of your habits until just before the tug bomb." Sonja responded making his mother smack him upside the head.

"Hey...!" Chris objected.

"I told you that behavior would bite you on the ass one day when you found the woman for you." She snapped at him before taking Sonja's arm and leading her up the steps and into the house. Leaving Chris to get the bags and follow them in.

Chris called pride the next day and let him know about moving back.

"I thought you were settled there, you had a job lined up?" Pride said when Chris was done. "And you could wait a week or two to move back? You have to do it right now when I need you to fill in for Percy?"

"I left because I was a coward. I'm coming back because I now know that I was being a coward and an idiot, and I'm going to rectify that as soon as possible. Momma is adamant about moving as soon as possible."

"That explains nearly nothing Chris." Pride said with an exasperated tone.

"Yeah until I have the details ironed out I can't really say more."

"Something happened with you and Percy didn't it?" Pride asked the question he had been wondering since after the Hamilton case.

"Why would you ask that?" Chris asked genuinely curious.

"You both moved apart after Hamilton. And then you left, and I don't think you told her. She fell apart after that, and now after I called to ask you to help out because Sonja is out you are suddenly moving back, your mother and brother in tow."

Chris looked at Sonja who could hear as he had pride on speaker phone. She just shrugged and nodded. Chris opened his mouth to answer but pride added, "l'm pretty sure that silence is answer enough. So you said you were a coward, and an idiot, I assume that you are going to try for a relationship with Percy? Do you think that will interfere with either of your work?"

"Yeah, there is going to be a relationship. And yeah it's probably going to mess with Sonja's work for at least a few months." Chris answered. Sonja hit him for telling their boss she was pregnant before she was ready. "Ow, what he asked. Did you want me to lie to him?"

"Sonja is there now?" Pride asked surprised.

"Uh, yeah. She flew in last night after we spent most of yesterday talking." Chris said leaving out that the talking had been in person.

"And what do you mean it will mess with her work... really, already you two?" He asked having worked through it in his head. "I guess that explains the getting sick and sleeping, Sonja."

"Yeah." She answered tentatively.

"So congratulations then?" Pride asked wondering if they were happy about this.

"Yep, just don't talk about names yet. It caused a melt down." Chris said in a stage whisper.

"I'll want to talk to you both when you get back. I guess I'll call Brody and see if she can help out for a while. Keep me updated on when you can come back to work Chris and Sonja when you plan on returning to desk duty. I'm sorry knowing that you are pregnant I cannot let you into the field."

"We knew that." She answered simply, "and I'm sorry for not telling you what was wrong, at the time I honestly didn't know about peanut. I was just so exhausted and sick."

"We will talk when you both get back." Pride said wanting to wrap his head around them together and having a kid. "But I do have one more question, because of what happened with Melody. Are you sure that peanut is Chris's?"

"He might not remember, but yeah I don't have any doubts."

"He doesn't remember? He hasn't had a head injury."

"I was drunk, thought it was a dream. Then I was a dumbass and ran away giving us both two months of heartache for nothing."

Frowning despite them not able to see him pride asked, "you were so drunk you don't remember making your baby? Why were you that drunk?"

"That would be because I was scared of my emotions." Sonja answered a tear leaking from her eye.

"Hey, it's ok." Chris said pulling her into his arms.

"It's not chris, I hate knowing what that did to you. Self harm, even just thinking about it is a huge deal. I'm glad you were able to get help but I caused that." She answered him sobbing now both of them forgetting about pride on the phone.

"Depression is not anyone's fault. I could have asked for help sooner. I knew I was drinking myself into a stooper just to sleep."

"Still because I shut us down." She sobbed into his chest.

"Hey I agreed with you. I'm not saying I like how we got here the emotions were hard on both of us. But I have you here with me and I'm not letting you go. Hell I was over the moon when you said you would go out with me. If you wouldn't think it was just about the baby I'd ask you right now..." he stopped catching himself before he said the words knowing it was too fast for her.

"Ask what chris?" She said her face tucked in against his chest.

"You are the one that said we were dating before and just were not calling it that. You are right we are at the I love you stage." He said not answering her question.

"Ask what chris?" She asked again, looking up at him, her own emotions swimming in her eyes.

"God you are killing me." He said resting his forehead against hers.

"Then just ask." She told him.

"I don't want you to think this is just because of the baby."

"Then are you going to wait until they are 18 to ask?"

"Hell no."

"Then ask chris, because it's always going to be a little bit about the baby until then."

"Are you sure you want me? A suicidal drunk that doesn't even remember our one time together? Depression doesn't just go away, it's a constant battle."

"You have to ask chris."

So quiet she barely heard him, he asked, "marry me?"

"Yes, chris." She answered when he wouldn't look at her to see she was nodding through her tears. Pride hung up then having heard more than he had planned on not knowing they forgot about him.

His head whipped down to see her smiling at him with tears streaming down her face. "Really?" He asked scared he was dreaming, that this whole day and a half had been a dream.

"Yes, chris. I love you. I want to wake up with you like I did this afternoon. I want you talking to my belly like you are the happiest guy on earth, like you did when I told you about peanut. I want us to be a family. You said yourself you would be there for cravings and feedings no matter the time of day. I told you that night I loved you and I meant it."

He picked her up and swung her around so happy she had said yes. "Wait right here I have to go get something. I love you Sonja Percy." He ran out of the room, nearly tripping on the rug and doing a header down the stairs.

With a squeak Sonja yelled after him, "please be careful. I don't want to loose you now that I finally have you."

Chris ran into his mothers room straight to the closet.

"What are you doing?" Cade asked seeing him dash in there.

"Getting the ring." Chris answered fumbling with the safe trying to get it open.

"You gonna ask? Isn't that kinda fast?"

"She said yes."

"You asked and didn't have the ring? And she still said yes?" Cade asked surprised. Watching chris fumble again Cade pushed him aside, "let me help you."

"I hadn't planned to ask her yet. It sort of just happened."

"What are you two doing?" His mom asked finding them in her closet. Chris practically shaking and Cade getting into the safe.

"He was too hyped up to get in on his own. Just helping my brother." Cade answered.

"And what do you need out of the safe?" She asked turning to chris.

Cade pulled open the door then and moved out of Chris's way. When chris turned back to his mom he showed her the box tears shinning in his eyes and a huge smile on his face. Cade shut the safe again before standing a grin on his face as well.

His mom grabbed him in a hug and he could feel her tears running off her face and onto his shoulder.

"When?"

"Um about ten minutes ago" chris said looking away blushing.

"You didn't have the ring?" She snapped whacking his arm.

"Ow, momma. I hadn't planned on asking yet. If I had planned it, it would have been more romantic and I'd have had the damn ring. Now can I go back to Sonja and ask her right with the ring."

"At least take her outside, some place pretty." His mom called after him.

"Where did you go?" Sonja asked him with a small laugh when he ran back into the room and kissed her.

"To get something. Would you come with me? I want to take you somewhere."

"Are you ok?" She asked him, he was grinning but acting so nervous.

"Never better." He answered her being completely honest.

She let him lead her out of the house and to an out building. She was surprised when he backed out an atv and asked her to climb on. He drove slowly through the woods of his mothers property. He came to a stop next to a willow tree. He led her under the branches and she gasped. There hiding under the willow was a tiny little waterfall, it was a natural spring coming right out of the rock wall curtained by the willows hanging boughs. From where chris parked you couldn't see the little creek it created but under the willow you could see that it curved away from them the ends of the willow boughs dragging through the water where it disappeared.

"This place is amazing chris!" Sonja told him looking around in wonder. When she turned back to him he was on one knee holding out a ring in a box.

"Sonja Percy, my city mouse. I love you with my whole heart. Would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" He asked her. "I want you living with me. I want to be there for you an peanut anytime you need me. I don't want to go back to living without you." Silently he added to himself, it nearly killed me.

"Yes chris. I love you too. And I'm not letting you leave again." She said pulling him to his feet and kissing him. She had heard his unspoken thought and it scared her.

He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed the back of her hand before placing it over his heart covered with his own. He kissed her then rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on. I thought it wouldn't matter. That you didn't want us, so me going through a hard time because of that wouldn't mean anything either. We had stopped talking and I couldn't take spending every day with you right there and not even talking to me. I knew I couldn't work together like that."

"It's ok. You weren't the only one hurting. I hated that I missed you and you would be standing right next to me. I would go home after working all day and clean my whole place top to bottom until I collapsed into sleep, usually not in bed. A chair, the couch, one time just the floor. Day after day, I am amazed that I didn't scrub right through the floor. I couldn't take the sight of you losing your light and the loneliness. I got to the point that I just couldn't take it anymore so I went to your house. You were drinking so without a word poured me a glass. I threw it back and followed that with the next three you poured me you still hadn't said a damn word and I couldn't take it I kissed you. I needed you close to me and you weren't helping me get us there. I realize now you were already past drunk but I didn't know that at the time. We ended up in bed, apparently neither of us thinking about protection. Laying there snuggling I told you that I hated us being apart and that I wanted to try for something between us."

"Why did you leave? You were gone when I woke up. God I cried when I thought my mind made all of that up."

"I was scared, and embarrassed that I pushed you into bed. I mean we had agreed not to pursue us then I show up and throw myself at you. You are a guy and you have been known to sleep with anything that is willing. And you never said one word the whole time I was there, what if I was just some pity fuck?" Tears were rolling down her face and chris wrapped her up right in his arms.

"Drunk chris clams up. He worries that he will turn into his father, and yell and hit people when he is that far gone. I would never get over it if I turned into my father."

"You were amazingly gentle with me. I hadn't felt so loved to that point in my life, but when you didn't respond I didn't know what to think."

"You feel more loved now?" Chris asked curious.

She blushed, "when you were talking to peanut, telling them you loved them to pieces just like mommy." Another tear escaped and chris brushed it away.

"I honestly do. I love you both so much. I'm so happy to have you both in my life. So happy you agreed to be my wife. Happy we are having a baby. Happy that you love me as much as I love you. I'm just mad that we wasted two months, and it's my fault. If I had stayed even one more day, we might have talked and I would have known it wasn't a dream."

They got Chris's mom and Cade moved into his house while they looked for places. Chris was staying with Sonja at her apartment. They got a great deal from a oil company for the property so his mom had plenty of money for her new place when they finally found it, it even had a guest house for Cade, and plenty of room for visiting grand kids.

Brody agreed to work with the team until Sonja could get back into the field. She spent the whole first day gloating to Gregorio that she knew who Sonja was sleeping with when Gregorio didn't. Pride was having a hard time keeping the two women from driving him nuts. He had Brody with him and Gregorio with Sebastian on cases keeping them apart as much as possible.

"Why does it matter?" Pride finally asked the day before chris and Sonja were scheduled to come back.

"He was there when I stopped to check on her and she wouldn't tell me who it was, just said it was new, and maybe I knew him but maybe not. Brody knows and won't tell me." Pride looked around at Brody mouthing to here he was here that day? She nodded at him and Gregorio exploded. "You mean you know who it is too? How do you know?"

"Oh, I'm fairly sure that I wasn't meant to know yet." He said not answering her question.

"I don't think I would either but I walked in on them sleeping." Brody answered.

Chris came in then with a box of his stuff for his desk. "Walked in on what now Brody?" He asked with a grin and a wink in her direction.

"Oh just Sonja and her new boyfriend, in bed."

With a laugh chris said, "sounds like you got a eyeful."

"Nah, they were just sleeping. Fully clothed too it was really weird."

"Huh, I might not be completely familiar with long term relationships but don't you normally take your clothes off to sleep together?"

Sebastian surprised them by being the one to answer that, "yes, you do. But Sonja had been a major zombie, maybe he saw she needed the sleep."

"So she will be back in the office tomorrow?" Gregorio asked looking at Brody, "that mean you are leaving then?"

"Nope." Brody answered deadpan. But that told Gregorio that Brody knew something else she didn't.

"That's it i'm going over there and talking to her." She said getting up from her desk.

Sonja came in then and asked, "talking to who?"

Brody ran over and gave her a hug seeing the ring right away. "Congrats, but, um Tammy is not happy about being left out."

Hugging her back Sonja answered. "That's ok, kinda why we are here." Turning from her to Sebastian Sonja added louder, "hey could you call Loretta and Patton over for me? I have some things to talk about with the team."

Gregorio came and gave her a hug too but started in with questions until pride barked at her to knock it off. He was in the kitchen whipping up some dinner for them knowing this was going to be a long conversation. By the time Loretta and Patton got there he was plating the food.

"Perfect timing!" He called to them. "Come on everyone grab a plate and a seat."

Chris grabbed them both a plate and she got them drinks. They sat on their normal side of the table next to each other. Which to the team was completely normal. That is until she stole some of his chicken and everyone stopped and stared at her baffled.

"What?" She asked confused.

"We have known you for what about 4 years. You have been a vegan all that time. Not once have I even seen you care about the meat that these guys eat around you. But not only did you just steal food from Chris's plate it was meat." Loretta answered for the collective.

"Yeah, well apparently vegan isn't the most healthy diet while pregnant and I have been craving different meats for a little while now." She answered trying not to laugh at the faces around her. Most of the team had shocked looks but Brody was looking smug and pride just neutral.

"Pregnant?" Gregorio finally managed.

"Yep." Sonja said not offering any more details.

"How?" Gregorio asked.

With a grin chris started, "well Tammy when two people care about each other, they..." he stopped when Sonja punched his shoulder. "Hey!" He muttered rubbing his arm.

"Sonja would you like your own chicken, so you don't have to steal Chris's?" Pride asked her carefully.

"Just a little, I'm still reintroducing it to my system. To much and I'm sick. though how do I tell that apart from normal morning sickness I'm having? I don't know so I'm just taking it slow."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"Oh, who cares. You know that's not what I meant. You said when I stopped by that it was new. That was just a couple of weeks ago you wouldn't know that you are pregnant yet from that." Gregorio asked.

"I said us dating was new. I didn't say that was the first time we had slept together."

"So the new guy is the daddy then?" Patton asked.

Nodding Sonja said, "he is."

"Is the baby the reason for the rock then?" Loretta asked.

"No, he actually had this before we knew."

"How do you know that?" Gregorio asked.

"He had to go to his moms and get it." That made Gregorio look at chris suspiciously. He hadn't said a word, didn't look as upset as she would think him to be with Sonja dating someone else, hell engaged and pregnant. And he was down right happy when he got here, still looked it now.

"Its you isn't it?" She asked him.

That made Sebastian and Patton look at her shocked at her conclusion, but Loretta just nodded that she followed that leap. With a grin chris gave Sonja a kiss in front of all of them.

"Why did they get to know?" Gregorio asked still pissed off.

"Brody wasn't lying she literally walked in on us asleep. Neither of us had been sleeping well and we had just learned about peanut. I was spooned in behind Sonja holding her belly. And I was talking to pride and sort of backed myself into a corner and had to explain. No worries Sonja whacked me for telling him before she was ready."

"They then apparently forgot I was on the phone and I got to hear him ask her." Pride finished and chris blushed.

"I did better than that. I didn't have the ring I had to go get it out of the safe. I took her out to this beautiful little spot and asked again better."

"I'm glad cause the first one was pretty awful and the three of us are going to talk about some of what I heard later."

Chris knowing what he meant ducked his head and put his fork down no longer hungry or happy. Sonja bumped his shoulder with hers and took his hand kissing it. "Hey, country mouse look at me." When he did her heart melted at the sorrow there. "I love you, we figured it out. That's what matters." She pulled his hand down to cover her belly and he beamed at her, leaning over to kiss her lightly. "I love you too."


	2. Post 3x24 option 2

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

It had been nearly a year since they had managed to put Hamilton away. They were both sitting at their desks drinking their morning coffee when pride came downstairs telling them they had a case. A few sailors in different areas of the country and most recently New Orleans had been murdered with their girlfriends.

The bodies had all been posed as if something had accidentally happened to them but in each case it was discovered in autopsy that they had been murdered. Each time the killer struck it was when a ship had returned to port. There were three murders in each city before the killer moved on to a different ship and a different city. Sailors overseas had also died in this manor but the sailors were always American even if their significant other was not.

"Chris I'm going to put you undercover on the USS kitty hawk. Sonja you are going to be his girlfriend. We have warned everyone on the ships at port but they are home and they don't get that very often they aren't going to listen to caution. By all accounts the couples were very close and often affectionate with each other. You with both be outfitted with a tracker, a remote panic button, and a microphone/recorder you can turn on if you need."

They stood there awkwardly not saying anything while pride explained the case to the whole team. They didn't look at each other not sure they wanted to see what the other thought of them being so close together for the case.

They shared a quick look when pride pointed Chris and Sebastian to the door. Sebastian was taking Chris to the closest helo pad so he could get on board unseen by observers. Once onboard Chris was given a hair cut and uniforms to wear during his stay. They had his name and a fake rank of lieutenant. He was shown a bunk that would be his while on board. When he was all set he went topside and called Percy to plan their date that night.

While Chris was being inducted into the navy Sonja was getting setup at her new apartment for the case. It was furnished nicely and she brought in a few of her own things to make it look like she had been living there. A half used tube of tooth paste, Some dirty clothes in a basket, that sort of thing. She was unpacking groceries when Chris called.

"Hey baby!" He greeted and she smiled. "I'm going to be free tonight. How about we have that date night I have been promising you?"

They made plans for her to come pick him up at the ship, and they'd go out to dinner at this new place she had just heard about. They talked for a little bit catching up on their fake lives since they last had spoken.

When they finished their call Chris said, "I love you baby." Before he hung up.

Chris went back to his bunk and studied their backstories excited for his date with Sonja.

Sonja stared at her phone open mouthed until Gregorio asked her what was wrong.

"Just not used to lovey dovey Lasalle I guess. I've only seen him that way about savannah, his mom, and Cade."

Sonja showed up later that night at the port to pick Chris up, and she had to try not to stare at him open mouthed. He was sexy as all get out, with his hair in a crew cut, and the uniform. She was happy to not be drooling over him.

When Chris got in her car he leaned right over and kissed her. He didn't stop until the car behind them honked the second time. Sonja stiffened but then kissed him back her mind reeling. He tasted good, hell he smelled good too, this was going to be one hell of an assignment, she thought when she could form thoughts again.

When Chris let them up from the kiss they were both breathing heavy. "Hey baby." He said, a huge smile on his face. He got settled in his seat then putting his seatbelt on, and took her hand forcing her to drive left handed.

Sonja smiled back at him and started towards the restaurant they had talked about earlier. She was amazed that they got there in one piece. Chris had spent the drive playing with her hand. His fingers caressing her skin. It sent little curls of electricity through her. That after the kiss that had ignited her whole body and she was wanting him to touch more of her than just her hand.

At the restaurant Chris let her go long enough to get out of the car. He even raced around to open her door and help her out, before tucking her under his arm and leading her into the restaurant. As they waited for a table to be cleared Chris leaned down and kissed her again. He couldn't get enough of the look on her face when he pulled back, like she was in heaven. He hugged her to his side and said, "I missed you so much baby."

Sebastian was their server, playing up his awkward nerdyness. When he gave them their drinks written on Chris's napkin was prides scrawl 'really?' It made him chuckle and move his glass to cover it up. He held Sonja's hand as they talked about what to order.

Sebastian came back with a white order pad and Sonja asked for the eggplant Parmesan while Chris got a steak with a baked potato and seasonal vegetable. They talked and laughed each making up stories about their time apart that they knew the other would find funny. They were so engrossed in each other that they never noticed that the restaurant was closing up around them.

When Sebastian brought them the check when they hadn't asked for it yet Chris looked at his watch surprised to find it was nearly one in the morning. He paid and they headed out to their car. It had a flat tire. That made both of them turn on their gps trackers and microphones. Chris popped the trunk and started changing the tire.

He had the car up on the jack and the flat tire off when a car pulled up. The windows were tinted dark, but the drivers side rolled down as the rolled to a stop along side them.

"You two alright?" A man asked them.

"Yeah, must have picked up a nail." Christopher answered. Standing up so that he was with Sonja instead of crouching as he continued to change the tire. "It's been a while but I've changed a tire before. I'll be done here in just a few minutes."

Noticing Chris's uniform the man asked, "on leave?"

"Second night back in port and my first night off the ship. First time I have seen Sonja in about a year. I was hoping for a better ending to the night though if you know what I mean." Chris answered giving the man a wink, and taking the smack Sonja gave him for talking about them having sex with a stranger.

The guy chuckled and nodded. He Maneuvered his car so the lights would shine where Chris was working giving him more light. He then got out and walked over he helped hold up the tire while Chris got the bolts in place and tighten down. Sonja concerned watched him but forgot to pay attention to her own surroundings. By the time she realized there was someone behind her she only got out a surprised cry before they put a hand over her mouth and an arm around her neck.

Chris was on his feet the instant she made the sound, he still had the tire iron in his hand but the other man was quicker his punch landed squarely on Chris's temple. Chris fell hitting his head on the car and then the ground on the way down. Sonja was screaming around her attacker's hand, and struggling trying to get to Chris. She bit the hand, and when they released her mouth she screamed, "Chris, oh god you killed him!"

"He's not dead yet. keep screaming though, and you might just have to watch him die. I'll make it nice and slow."

Sonja shut up hoping the team was listening. She was crying big silent tears still struggling to get to Chris. Needing to check for a pulse, and make sure he was still breathing.

He dragged Chris out of the way and finished changing the tire. Once he was done he brought the car down off the jack and put the jack, the tire iron, and the flat back in the trunk. He then hefted Chris into the back seat. The person holding her started dragging her to the other car. She struggled trying to break free again.

"Please!" She moaned. "Please let me stay with him!"

She could feel her captor looking up at the man who had hit Chris. When he nodded she was dragged to her car, and shoved inside on top of Chris instead of letting her gently get in so as to not hurt him more. As soon as she was in the car he took off leaving her to maneuver to sitting on the seat and cradling Chris's head in her lap in a moving car. not an easy task especially because he would peel out only to jerk to a stop. This made her hit her own head several times before she got buckled in.

She checked her watch covertly while stroking Chris's hair. It was glowing, so the team could hear them and the hours were flashing showing that the gps was also enabled, they would find them, she just needed to keep them both alive until they were sure this was the same people doing the killing of other sailors.

"What do you want with us?" She asked now that she was seated and could tell that Chris really was alive. When he didn't answer she asked again louder.

"I heard you missy, I just wasn't going to answer." He replied.

"I'm Sonja and this is Chris. His ship is in port if he's not back by morning they will be looking for him. And I'm due at work, they knew I was out with Chris tonight. I will be looked for too." She said trying to humanize them to this man.

"Oh I know his ship is in port. I followed you two the whole time tonight. So in love." He nearly gagged on that part. "Sailors don't know how to love, they come to port and screw every thing with a pulse no matter if they are in a relationship, hell they don't care if they are married. I'm sure pretty boy like that has been screwing the ladies at every port his ship has been too."

"Chris wouldn't do that to me!" She said disgustedly.

"You just wait, we will find out." Was all he said the rest of the drive.

She stopped bracing herself as she checked Chris's head. She couldn't stop her own head from hitting the window when he swerved hard. She could only groan in pain before passing out.

She woke up later in an open area of marsh. She was tied to a stake in the ground. Chris was still laying unconscious on the ground next to her, also tied to a stake.

"Chris?" She asked tears rolling down her cheeks. She moved over as close to him as possible. She ran her bound hands down his cheek trying to feel for a pulse on his neck. Her hands being bound together made it difficult but she was able to find it. She felt over his head finding bumps and a few cuts that had stopped bleeding already but nothing newer than she had already seen done to him.

She tried to look at her watch to see what time it was, but it was gone. That worried her as that was where the gps had been. A quick glance showed that Chris's was gone too. "Chris, I need you to wake up. I'm not going to be able to haul your ass out of here. Please wake up." Her voice shook with fear as she shook him a little. The motion made him groan and wince. "Shh, Chris it's ok, we are going to be ok. We will think of a way out of here. For now just listen to me talk and don't act awake." He shifted the hand near her into an ok sign and she kept going trying to act like she was just nervously babbling. While she talked about where they were, that they were tied down and she couldn't see anyone or anything around them in the marsh. When she ran out of things to say and started repeating herself Chris slowly reached his hand closer to her and wrapped it around her ankle giving it a reassuring squeeze.

There were foot steps approaching and Sonja looked around to see their captors coming toward them. Her tension made Chris open his eyes.

"Ah, I see you have rejoined us lieutenant." Said the one that had hit Chris. He seemed to be the talkative one of the two. "You ready to answer some questions?"

"Questions?" Chris asked.

"You answer our questions to our satisfaction and we'll let you go."

Sonja and Chris shared a look both knowing that they were not going to be getting out of here without the team. Chris looked back at the one talking and just nodded pulling Sonja closer to him. He looped his arms around her pulling her into his lap his bound hands making holding her difficult.

"Since you have been in the navy how many times have you cheated on your girlfriend or been the person that was being cheated with?"

"Never." Chris answered, not even having to think about it. "Even before I joined I never cheated on anyone, and I tried to make sure I was never with someone cheating on someone else."

"That's hard to believe, a pretty boy like you must get lots of offers, you couldn't have turned them all down."

"I've known Sonja for a few years. We were just friends but since I have started seeing her in a more romantic light than just friendship I haven't been out with anyone else. Even work related I made sure that there was always a group. That way nothing could be misconstrued."

Sonja tried not to stiffen in his arms hearing the truth in his voice as he spoke. She wondered why she hadn't noticed that he never was alone with any female except her. Even Gregorio, he would make sure he was in a group.

"I did go through a bad time after my long time girlfriend was murdered. I was going through women like tissues, but I always asked if they were single. Never found out that any of them weren't single. Sonja helped me through that phase."

"What about you missy? Your man gone for months at a time, you ever cheated on him?"

Sonja shook her head, tears on her face. "I would never cheat on Chris. I haven't been with anyone else since he almost died and I realized I had feelings for him." She snuggled down in Chris's arms hiding her head in his neck not letting him see her face.

"I can't believe you two. Neither of you seem to believe the other. So why are you so shocked to not have been cheated on? It's almost like you hadn't been together."

"I asked her out over the phone. We have been emailing and talking. This is the first time I've been home to take her on an actual date. I hadn't realized she felt that way, it's been over at least two years since the incident she is talking about where I could have died." Chris improvised.

"And I didn't realize that he even avoided being alone with female coworkers out of respect for me."

"So you two want me to believe that before you were even together you were faithful to one another?" He asked outraged at their answers. "Not once has anyone been faithful during their relationship much less before it even started."

"You have done this before?" Chris and Sonja asked together trying to sound shocked.

"Ever since I found out my bitch wife cheated on me with every sailor that came through town."

"Why did you pick us? I mean it's not like I picked up some bar bunny that was trying to pick up a sailor." Chris asked wondering where their watches were, were they close enough to catch that confession.

"I always go after the ones in a relationship. Want to break the cycle of being cheated on, make sure that both parties know what happened to their relationship."

"So what about us? This was our first date and we haven't cheated on each other?" Sonja asked him.

"Well now I can't let you go missy. You know too much. You'd go to the police and get me arrested." He said before walking over and using the butt of a gun to hit Chris in the head hard.

Chris's arms around her pulled her down with him as he fell unconscious again. "Please be ok," she chanted to herself and she struggled to get out of his grasp and check him for a pulse. She had turned her back on him too worried about Chris to worry about herself. She never saw the hit coming and fell unconscious herself still wrapped in Chris's arms.

She woke unsure of how long she had been out but still lying on Chris, still in the marsh and still tied down. She could hear a helicopter and people swarming in around them. There was gun fire and she cringed praying that none of the bullets came near her or Chris. She heard the thud and umph of someone being tackled. And suddenly someone was feeling around on her neck and calling her name and Chris's. Slowly, painfully she opened her eyes to see Gregorio hovering over her.

"Hey there Percy! You alright?" She nearly yelled.

"Shhh." Sonja muttered trying to bring her hands to her head, she was stopped short by the rope and Chris's arms.

"One second let me get some crime scene photos and then I'll get you guys loose. Then we will get you both to the hospital."

"Chris needs his head examined he took multiple hits. Is he awake yet?" She asked not worried about herself. Just worried about him.

"No, let me get the pictures we need and then I'll get you both untied and on the way to the hospital."

After the pictures from every angle Gregorio cut her and Chris loose. Sonja moved to a sitting position ignoring the pounding in her head. She moved up closer to his head. Each movement agony. her head feeling like it was splitting open. "Chris," she called trying to wake him. "Come on country mouse, your head is harder than that you can take a few knocks. Wake up Chris."

The paramedics stopped her from trying to shake him awake. "Ma'am if he has a spinal injury that could make it worse. We need to get you both to the hospital as soon as possible to get checked out."

Since they were taking the chopper, she got to stay with him until they got to the hospital. Since he still hadn't woke up he was rushed off. Sonja refused treatment demanding to stay with Chris. Pride came in later while she was sitting next to Chris's bed waiting for his results the lights in the room mostly off to help with her growing headache.

"Percy you have to get checked out." Pride demanded having been briefed by the head nurse. "They are waiting on his results, there is nothing you can do."

He was taken aback when she looked up and her eyes were red rimmed a swollen, tears staining her face. What worried him though was that her right pupil was not the same as her left it had dilated. Pride ran into the hall and yelled for help.

They came in fast thinking that something had happened to Chris until pride made them look at Sonja. She was no longer allowed to deny treatment. They pulled a gown from a closet and had her stripping right there behind it and into the gown and on a gurney in no time flat.

She looked at pride for help he simply told her. "The team is here now. We got them. I'll make sure that neither of you is ever alone."

She nodded then and let herself be wheeled away. Pride was glad that Loretta walked in then. "Stay with Chris, make sure someone is always with him. I have to catch up with Percy."

They took Sonja for a Ct scan and then into emergency surgery. She was bleeding on her brain. Pride stayed with her, having to scrub up for surgery and wear the scrubs he was given so he could stay with her. Once they were ready to send her back to a room he demanded that she and Chris share a room. That would allow their team to protect them better.

The doctors told them that Chris should be fine when he woke up. He didn't show anything more than a severe concussion. They wouldn't know about Sonja until she woke up. They were hopeful though as she had been walking and talking before her surgery.

Chris woke up the next morning and his first question after getting some water to wet his mouth was about Sonja since she wasn't one of the people surrounding his bed. The people that were between their beds moved allowing him to see her laying there motionless her head covered in bandages.

Chris looked through the people in the room, finding his mother he asked if they could talk alone. Everyone filed out into the hall, except the women sitting next to Sonja's bed on the far side from his.

"How is she momma?" He asked as soon as the door closed.

"You could have died and the first thing out of your mouth is to ask about someone else?" She asked him. "Not even to find out how you are?"

"I don't care momma, how is she? Why is her head bandaged? What happened?" His voice cracked slightly and he closed his eyes. He was praying she was ok. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if two women he loved were killed because he couldn't protect them.

"From what I heard when they found you two you both were unconscious. Sonja demanded that you needed a head scan that you had taken several hits to the head. When you both arrived here she wouldn't leave your side refusing medical attention. When agent pride got here he noticed her pupil was dilated and demanded she allow them to check her out. She had a Ct scan and emergency surgery for a brain bleed."

"And?" He looked over at who he assumed were her family, he knew one was her sister cam, "they don't look happy, what did they say?"

"That you had a concussion and once you woke up that you should be fine but they wanted to check you again when you woke up. Hopefully agent pride remembered that and is letting them know you woke up."

"Not about me. About Sonja." His voice wavered like he might cry. And she grabbed his hand.

"They won't know anything until she wakes up, if she wakes up."

"If?" Chris who had been quietly talking with his mom trying not to disturb Sonja's family shrieked. They all turned to look at him with sad defeated eyes.

"They are hopeful because she was up and around walking and talking before they took her back. It's only been one night..." his mom tried to tell him.

Chris had stopped listening though and was trying to get out of bed. He was removing medical equipment making machines blare alarms and medical staff come into the room at a run.

"Agent Lasalle stop, what are you doing." One yelled seeing him trying to take out his iv.

"I need out of this bed." He told her struggling with all of the wires attached to him.

"No, you need to stay there and let us make sure you are ok." She told him calmly.

"I don't care." He answered still struggling.

"Christopher, lay down and let them check you out." Pride ordered from the doorway. "And no fighting on this. If Percy had let them look at her when she first came in with you she may not have needed the extensive surgery she had. So no more denying care. You leave that butt in that bed until they tell you that you are cleared."

"Fine, but I want to be closer. I need to be able to see her. Hold her hand."

Pride gave him a odd look but looked at the nursing staff who nodded that they could make that happen as long as he stopped fighting them.

"We are going to take you for a few scans, make sure nothing changed then when we come back we will make sure your beds are right next to each other." The nurse closest to him offered.

Chris nodded and lay back down. Letting them reattach the wires he had managed to extract himself from.

When they rolled him back in Chris was relieved to see most of the team gone. It was just Loretta, his mom, and Sonja's family. As promised they moved his bed right next to hers. He took her hand through the bed rails despite the angry looks her mother was giving

him.

"Wake up city mouse. Please, I need to see your beautiful brown eyes. Hear you yell at me for something, anything. Please wake up." He whispered to her.

Calmer just being near her despite her potentially bad prognoses Chris fell asleep. The nurses woke him every hour checking to make sure he didn't fall into a coma. So every hour he repeated his plea to her still form.

A few days and they released Chris but there had been no change in Sonja. She was breathing on her own which was a positive sign but that she hadn't woken up was diminishing their hope for her recovery. He signed the papers they gave him to check him out but he never left. He stayed in a chair next to her bed repeating his plea over and over again. His mom stayed with him and Sonja's family stayed with her. They didn't speak much keeping a mostly silent vigil over Sonja.

Looking for Chris having expected him at work today knowing he had been signed out over the weekend but unable to find him at his house pride walked into the room finding everyone asleep except for Sonja. She was looking at Chris strangely.

When she looked up and met prides eyes he could see her sigh in relief. "Why is he sleeping on me? Holding my hand?" She whispered confused.

Pride raised a hand gesturing for her to hold that thought. He went to get someone and let them know that Sonja woke up and might have some memory loss. From what he gathered from Chris they talked out in that marsh and they might be more than partners in the future. He went back into the room with a cadre of nurses on his heals. He shook Chris awake and forced him out into the hall.

"What the hell pride?" Chris asked looking back into the room and seeing Sonja's eyes open he made to go back inside but pride grabbed his arm and Hauling him further down the hallway.

"She was awake when I got here. Everyone else was asleep. When I walked in she asked me why you were sleeping on her, holding her hand. She might have some memory loss if your understanding of what was said in the marsh is correct. I didn't want her overwhelmed or freaked out by your sudden change in her direction if she doesn't remember it happening. You can go back in just be friends for now."

Chris nodded and they walked back into the room. He held back from running over and hugging her. He let the nurses finish what they needed to do. Let her greet her family. See her wonder about who his mom was as she didn't remember meeting her before but she was in her hospital room.

His mom sat with her, after introducing herself, while pride, Chris, and Sonja's family were beckoned into the hall by the doctor.

"It seems like she remembers all of the people in her life if not all of the recent events. When did she join your team agent pride?"

"A few years ago."

"That's good, she remembers working with you. Have their been any changes to your team that might help us narrow down how far back ms Percy is missing?"

"Yes, we had one member leave, and had a few new ones join."

"That's great, how about your family mrs. Percy? Any changes we could use to gage her memory?"

Her mother nodded and she and pride reentered the room with the doctor.

The doctor looked at pride first so he asked. "Percy, can you tell me who is on the team currently?"

"Why?" She asked suspicious.

"We are worried the blow to your head may have caused some memory damage so the doctor asked if there had been any changes we could use to gage where you are in your memory."

"You, Lasalle, me, and Gregorio. Brody left after the cartel case and Gregorio left the FBI to join our team."

Pride just nodded and her mom asked, "how about family?"

"Your husband died not long ago." Percy said holding out a comforting hand to her mother.

"One second baby, we'll be right back. Talk with mrs. Lasalle for a little while."

When they went out into the hall Sonja asked rhetorically, "I've lost time haven't I?"

"I believe so." She answered.

"Why was Chris in here holding my hand?" Sonja asked figuring his mother would know. "For that matter, why are you here?"

"Chris was hurt too, originally they thought worse than you but it turns out my boy has a very hard head. They only recently released him."

Sonja nodded at that at first then she noticed the other bed in her room was made up and not slept in. "When was he released? How long have I been here?"

"It's Monday, Chris was released Saturday."

"How long have I been here?" Sonja asked again.

"I'm not sure if I can tell you that. I know with memory loss you can't tell the person some things. I'd rather ask your doctor first. I'm sorry I do not mean to cause you stress."

"Ok if he was released two days ago what are you and Chris still doing here?"

"I was here being supportive to my son and helping your family as much as I could. The rest again I would have to consult before I know what I should and shouldn't say. I do have a question though. Do you remember the grave robbing case?"

At Sonja's nod she smiled and relaxed. She knew that was the case where Chris was dry fired at and that Sonja had said to Chris in the past that she realized she has feelings for him. She knew that her baby would be able to convince Sonja to love him again if she remembered she had feelings for him.

"Why?" Sonja asked confused.

"Just trying to see what you might remember." She answered faugely.

In the hall pride explained that she was forgetting the newest member of the team and her mother explained that she had lost her husband almost two years ago.

The doctor nodded, "she may be trying to block out something specific. Did something traumatic happen to her around that time?"

They all looked at each other and shook their heads but Chris was wondering if she remembered melody and tucker. Her step dad was after that but sometimes the mind can be tricky.

"Don't tell her about the things she forgot, let her remember organically as much as possible. Don't push her and don't let her push herself. I assume agent Lasalle by her lack of reaction to your presence that she doesn't remember the change in your relationship?" At Chris's head shake he continued, "I'm sorry to hear that, but don't give up hope, she may eventually remember everything. And even if she doesn't, she is still the same person, you two could get to that change again."

Chris nodded and went to a chair not far away and collapsed into it exhausted. "Pride when you go back in, send momma out please? I think it's time I go home. I don't think I can manage reliving the last two years right now."

"I have one more concern." The doctor said as they had turned to go back into the room. "We received some of her tests back. If she doesn't remember the last two years. she won't know the answer to this question, and that will more than likely cause her a great deal of stress." When he had all of their attention on him again he said, "she's pregnant. Any idea who the father is?" Sonja's family looked at each other confused then they looked at pride, but pride was looking at Chris who was sitting their open mouthed.

"Chris?" Pride prompted.

"Mine, we ah, Sonja and I are married. We weren't trying but the stress of hiding from everyone made her forget sometimes to take her pills. We thought we were ok the one time we forgot ah, other protection." Tears started unbeknownst to Chris, "hell she is going to kill me for telling you guys like this. She wanted to have a fake ceremony and a party on our anniversary. We were going to use this case to break it to the team that we were seeing each other..." he trailed off his head in his hands, "she doesn't even remember we are together much less married, she is going to freak out at the news that she is pregnant. Sonja doesn't do change easy." Looking up he added, "shit pride, she moved in with me and got rid of her apartment. When they let her leave she is not going to like that arrangement."

They stared at him open mouthed. "My baby would not have gotten married without telling me!" Her mom hissed at him. "Especially not to some backwoods country bumpkin like you."

Chris smiled, "yes, welcome to why she didn't say anything. She was afraid of your reaction to me. we each told one family member. So you could go back in there and ask my mom or you can ask Cam."

Her mom whipped around to her daughter furious. "Is this true, did your sister marry this barbarian?"

"It's Neanderthal actually." Chris corrected thinking of Sonja's nickname for him. That made him smile sadly to himself.

"Yeah momma, she ah came to visit, showed me the ring and introduced us. Chris is really a great guy momma. And he loves Sonja, more than anything. Could you imagine her not remembering you? He is going to have to deal with that. Hell momma some people don't remember, he might have to get her to fall in love with him again."

While her mom and sister talked pride walked over to Chris. "No one at ncis knows?"

"Vance does. We compromised so that someone knew. He said if our work relationship changes he'd hear about it and we'd get split up, but we have done well to keep personal at home."

His mom poked her head into the hallway and said, "you not coming back in is starting to freak Sonja out."

"Thanks momma we will be right there." Chris answered. "You can let her know that we are done talking to the doctor just talking amongst ourselves."

"You don't speak for all of us." Her mother snapped at him.

"No and I didn't mean to. I was only trying to reassure Sonja. Go ahead and go back in there, but you heard the doctor you can't talk about any of this, she doesn't remember us even dating. She is confused why I am even here. Doesn't understand why my mom is still here even though I have been signed out. Just because she doesn't remember doesn't mean I love her any less."

"You were ready to go home."

"I was going to go home so that she wouldn't have to deal with the confusion of why I am here. I was going to try and come to terms with my wife not remembering me. I'm sorry you don't like me, that I'm not who you envisioned Sonja marrying, but honestly I don't care about your opinion of me. I care that my wife is in there confused and probably scared and I can't do anything to make that better. You can though so please go back in there and do the caring that I can't."

Tears streamed down his face. he was surprised to get a hug from each of her sisters before they went back into the room. Pride came over and stood with his hand on Chris's shoulder. When his mom came out into the hall and saw him she went over and hugged him holding him tight.

"She remembers the grave robbing case baby. She knows she has feelings for you. You two will get through this."

Chris smiled, "thanks momma. Her mom hates me."

"She doesn't even know you."

"She has eyes and ears though. She said there is know way her baby married a country bumpkin like me."

"You told them?"

"The doctor said to everyone that Sonja's pregnant. They didn't have a clue who the dad would be so I spoke up. She is going to kill me for telling them like that, when she remembers that we are married and almost no one knew about it before."

Chris sent his mom home trying to keep Sonja's stress down. He went back into her room and sat by her bedside. He kept his hands to himself and tried to joke and laugh with her.

"Country mouse?" She asked him seeing a tear leak out.

"Yeah city mouse?" He asked her.

"How come you are crying? I don't think that I have ever seen you cry. Even when Savannah died you got mad not sad."

Chris chuckled, of course Sonja still knew him better than anyone else. "Just been a rough little bit. Don't worry about it."

Cam reached over and squeezed his knee letting him know she was there for him. She had decided to move her chair to share Chris's side of the bed to be supportive for him. Sonja notice the arm movement but couldn't see what her sister had done. She frowned at them. "You have only been awake a few days right?" Sonja asked him, "you are already hitting it off with my sister?"

Chris laughed, "I'm sorry city mouse, that I can't tell you why that is funny. No, your sister is just trying to be nice. I swear that I have not ever had a single thought about your sister that way."

Sonja cocked her head at him, "that sounds like you have met her before."

Chris nodded, "just cam. When I woke up was the first time I met the rest of the Percy women."

"What's with the necklace?" Sonja asked him, a silver chain wasn't his normal wear.

"Something I can't talk about." He answered with a pained expression. He had pulled the necklace from her personal effects and put it on. It held her rings and she hadn't taken it off since she had gotten them. He wanted to feel close to how they were when she couldn't remember.

"You ok country mouse?" She asked him wondering what he was not able to tell her about a necklace. Chris just nodded but she could see a lingering sad expression on his face.

A nurse came in then with pills for Sonja to take.

"What are these for?" She asked holding up a large gummy. The nurse looked up from her chart and smiled.

"They are just vitamins, ms Percy. They want to make sure that you being out didn't make you low on any of your vitamins."

Sonja nodded and took the pills, and Chris let his shoulders slump. They were making sure their baby was cared for even though she didn't know about the baby yet. He mouthed a quick thank you to the nurse who just smiled and walked out.

Chris sat and tried to be cheerful and joking with her. He went into the hall and sat when she started getting tired not wanting her to know he was still there. He didn't want her to push herself too hard to remember what was going on with him.

Her mom came out heading to get some coffee and found him asleep in the chair he had claimed, his hand wrapped around the end of the necklaces, tears drying on his face. She shook his shoulder.

"I should let you sleep as you look like you need it, but I'd like to apologize for what I said and maybe get to know my son-in-law." She told him when his eyes popped open and his face filled with concern. "Sonja is sleeping her sisters are with her. Come get coffee with me?" He stood and they walked together to the cafeteria.

"You should eat something too." She told him knowing he had barely left Sonja's side since he woke up and he hadn't eaten in front of her except when the staff threatened to move his bed away from hers.

"Obviously you two met at work. So when did you realize you had feelings for each other?" She asked once he grabbed some fruit and a granola bar and they sat at a table.

"I didn't know it then but Sonja helped me through a serious girlfriend dying. I realized later what she meant to me. I tried getting her to go out with me but she would always run away when our feelings were showing. She hopefully remembers that she has feelings for me. Momma asked her if she remembers a case where I was shot at but the gun misfired. Sonja told me once that is when she realized she had feelings for me. Not that being the hard head she is she let me know. I told her I cared about her after she was assigned to defuse a bomb on a tug boat. I told her to get off the damn boat the coast guard was going to blow it up before it got to the bridge that would have crippled the city. Her time was up and she refused. god I about died in the few seconds after that with the people around me gearing up to make the boat with the woman I loved on it blow up. Then she says into the radio she got it and I had to scramble to keep them from killing her. We had a hard case last year, our team nearly fell apart, could have lost our jobs if it had gone differently. We talked about our feelings then and she didn't run away. She said for the good of the team let's leave it. I agreed, because I didn't want to push her. But then she pulled me down into a kiss. We didn't look back. We kept it professional at work not wanting to be separated as partners nor to mess up the tentativeness we had going on with the team at the time. Once we went down the rabbit hole of not telling them though we didn't know how to change that. When pride assigned us this undercover we thought it would be a great opertuinity to let the team learn we were dating."

He paused taking a bite of his granola bar and thinking before he started talking again. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner but I let that be Sonja's choice figuring she knew her family best. Based on your original reaction I'd have said she was right to think you wouldn't like me. But you reached out to me when you didn't have to."

"I can see that it's hurting you to not be there for her how you are used to being. I can see in your sadness and pain how much you love my daughter. She has had a lot to deal with in her life and I tend to be over protective. I didn't know you and all the sudden you claimed to not only be married to her but the father of her baby. It was too much to process when we had just found out that she lost two years of memories."

Chris nodded, "I don't know what to do. I can't leave, but I know I'm freaking her out. It was like pulling teeth to get her to admit she had feelings for me the first time, now I have until she notices that she is pregnant or wants to go home to get her to love me again. Because knowing she's pregnant but doesn't remember who the dad is or telling her she lives with me is going to make her flip out. She doesn't do change well."

They talked for a while really getting to know each other before grabbing coffee for all five of them and walking back to the room. Expecting Sonja to still be asleep he hadn't bothered to tuck the necklace with the rings back into his shirt before entering the room.

"Hey that's mine!" She said pointing at his chest.

Chris frowned, looked down, and sighed to himself before looking at her in surprise.

"You remember this being yours?" He asked carefully keeping his face neutral.

"Yes, give it back." She demanded.

Chris handed one cup of coffee to cam, and another to one of her other sisters, before setting his own on a table and carefully taking off the necklace and putting it on her.

"Chris, why do I have an engagement and wedding ring on a necklace?" She asked, "why did you have it?" Her face looked pained.

"Don't force it..." he forced himself not to call her baby, but his voice sounded strange so she looked at him harder.

"Chris why did you have these?" She asked again. But then she noticed his own necklace had a ring on it too. "We...?" She asked tears in her eyes.

"Tuck your necklace in." Her mother snapped.

Chris raising his face to the ceiling trying to hide his emotions from her did as he was ordered.

"No Chris I know you aren't supposed to tell me anything but I know these are mine. Are we...?" She asked her own voice shaking.

"Yeah, city mouse." He answered finally.

A look of fear crossed her face and he turned to walk out think she was scared of the rapid change in them but he stopped dead in his tracks when she said, "but mom didn't know?" He whipped around hope written on his face.

"You remember?" He asked her.

"You told her?" She asked.

"You have to answer me first Sonja. You have to tell me what you remember because I can't tell you more than that."

"I don't remember dating but I remember this." She said holding up the rings. "I remember being so happy that I made you go that night to Vegas. That we didn't tell hardly anybody...?"

"So the doctor dropped a bomb on us after telling us about how to handle the memory loss. I had to explain."

"Bomb?" Sonja asked confused.

"Those vitamins you took earlier aren't because they are worried about your health, Sonja. They were prenatal vitamins."

"Prenatal?" She asked her face going pale. "I'm pregnant?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I thought you weren't allowed to tell me anything I might have forgotten?"

"Unless you had taken the test and not told me you didn't know about this."

Frowning Sonja asked, "your mom knows why the grave robbing case is important?"

"Yeah, we talked about when we realized our feelings for each other once at her house over dinner. She talked about her and dad too." That made Sonja blush to talk about her feelings for Chris when she hadn't had them for very long. "It's ok city mouse don't force it. You'll remember more and more or I'll convince you again that you love me and still want to be with me. But at least you knowing means you will be prepared for when you can leave and find out where you are living."

"The dogs! Chris, are they ok?" She asked in a gasp.

"Yeah, Cade has been at the house with them. He might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but I'm going to guess that by now he has figured out we are together. Our house is covered in pictures."

"Who from the team?" She asked realizing that meant almost all of their family would know.

"Pride was here. I don't know if he told anyone else though. He probably needed to say something about why I'm not at work."

More relaxed than he had been since he woke up Chris sat down in the chair next to her and took her hand. She tensed but then visibly relaxed. It wasn't long and she was back asleep. He leaned down and kissed her hand sending up a thankful prayer for letting her remember them.

"I love you so much Sonja. Thank you for remembering us." He murmured against her hand.

"I love you too Chris."she said nearly automatically in her sleep. Tears escaped his eyes landing on her hand.

Cam ran a hand over his back reassuringly. "See, everything will be ok. She might not remember everything but she knows the important things."

By the time Sonja was ready to be sent home Chris had sent his mom and Cade home. He was sure that Sonja would need time to readjust to living with him and that wouldn't be the best time to have guests. Her sisters had had to leave, they were running out of time off from their work. Sonja had remembered more and more about recent events, even the undercover assignment and how they had planned to use that to break it to the team that they were a couple. But she still couldn't remember the block of time around when her step father died and melody and tucker were around. She still didn't remember everything but enough to ask Chris for a kiss, once while her mother had left the room for a little bit.

"You sure?" He asked, dying to kiss her for the first time in weeks but needing to make sure she was ok.

"Chris, I know I don't remember everything. But I know that I love you and that we are married and expecting a child. If I ask you to kiss me then I'm sure." Chris leaned down bracing himself with one arm next to her head he cupped her chin in his free hand and kissed her gently. She smiled against his lips and looped her arms around his neck, not letting him up. When they broke apart. Chris pulled back just a few inches and looked into her eyes. She added, "or anything I might ask for in the bedroom." In a whisper.

Chris winked at her and kissed her quickly again before straightening and turning to sit in his chair. Neither noticed the people standing in the doorway.

"So how are the pups since you sent Cade and momma Lasalle home?"

"Missing their mommy and daddy I'm sure. Pride is checking on them for us. But you get to come home today so we won't need to worry about it anymore."

There was a throat clearing and both of them whipped their heads around to the door. It was Gregorio and Sebastian.

"Hey guys," Sonja said enthusiastically, knowing they were her ride home.

"Just hey guys? What was that?" Gregorio asked.

They shared a confused look. "We are going to need more information Gregorio. What are we talking about?" Chris asked.

"She is the one that lost her memory not you. You kissed her and then talked like you live together..." she trailed off when they continued to stare at her like she was nuts.

"Yeah, that's generally what happens when you are married." Sonja said slowly.

"Married?" Gregorio shrieked.

Chris turned to Sonja and shrugged saying, "I guess pride didn't tell them. Maybe we should hold off on the rest? She looks like she is going to pass out."

"There is more than you two are married?" Sebastian asked.

"Yeah." Chris answered watching Gregorio. "You ok Gregorio?"

"I knew you two where sleeping together, you laughed at the thought..."

"We weren't actually at that time. We didn't start dating even until after Hamilton." Sonja interrupted.

"So you two are married but you haven't even been dating for a year?"

Sonja blushed. "I made him go to Vegas the night he asked me to marry him. I didn't want a big wedding not when no one knew we were even dating."

"Wait at the start of this case when you were on the phone with Chris you said you weren't used to him being this lovey dovey."

"We have to keep work professional or we will be split up. He told me on the phone he loved me. We never do that at work."

A nurse came in then with her paper work. Making them all forget to talk about the other news they had found out.

"Did you already make all of your follow up appointments?" She asked pointedly looking down to her stomach.

"Earlier today, yes." Sonja answered her hands coming down to rest protectively on her stomach. The nurse nodded and kept going over what she needed to do.

At their house Sonja and Chris got out of the car and two big dogs came bounding over. When one went to jump on Sonja trying to lick her face Chris got in his way so that he ended up getting jumped on. "Stay down." Chris said calmly and both instantly shot their butts to the ground.

"That's good boys. You can't jump on mommy for a few months ok, have to stay down no jumping." Turning to Sonja he added, "that's what you get for spoiling them. They should already know not to jump on you, now we have to get them to understand a rule change so they don't hurt peanut."

"Peanut?" Sebastian asked not understanding, but behind him Gregorio was standing looking between the two of them slack jawed.

"Peanut is a term for a small human child, one that maybe the gender is of yet unknown." Chris explained to him and enjoyed watching his eyes get big and round in understanding.

Sonja poked him and pointed at Gregorio, poor Tammy looked like someone had both given her a puppy and then smacked her. "You ok, Tammy?" Sonja asked walking back to her friend.

"Yeah, I just can't imagine you guys with a kid. Chris yeah, because..." she trailed off catching herself before lamely adding, "you just never seemed the type."

Frowning Sonja looked between the three agents. Sebastian turned away not good at lying. Chris blushed and ducked his head hating that they were going to have to go through this whole thing again. Gregorio blushed embarrassed that she had slipped up.

"Why can you see Chris with kids?" Sonja asked carefully to see each of their reactions.

"We can't tell you that story baby. It happened about the same time as your step dad passing."

"You had a giraffe in your truck when I got back...?" She said her head cocked as she tried to think. "You asked if I wanted to talk about it and I said about as much as you want to talk about this and showed you the giraffe. But I don't know why the giraffe was there."

Chris nodded, "I know you don't baby, don't force it. It will come to you eventually." He said pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. "I know you've done nothing but lay in bed for days so what do you want to do? We could sit on the deck, go out on the boat for a little bit...?" Chris started giving her ideas.

Sonja looked at Gregorio and Sebastian not wanting to kick them out but all she really wanted to do was be held by Chris. She shrugged though knowing she would get that later and said, "sitting on the deck getting some fresh air would be great."

Not long after they settled on the porch the rest of the team and Sonja's mom showed up. Pride brought food knowing that they wouldn't have had anything and that everyone was going to want to see them.

"Why are we at Chris's house to see Sonja?" They could hear Patton ask as he came down the hall with someone else.

"Look around dear." Loretta answered. "This is their house not his house. The pictures are all of them together, and their is a female flare to the decorating too. No flowers or plants but then they aren't home a lot and Sonja isn't really a plant and flower person."

"That's not true. There is an aloe plant in the living room and a snake plant in our bedroom." Sonja called. "They are low maintenance and good at cleaning the air."

Chris smiled at her and squeezed her hand in his, happy she remembered their home. Patton and Loretta came out onto the deck Patton smiling sheepishly, Loretta just grinning at the two of them.

"Good to see you both out of the hospital." Loretta told them patting their shoulders as she went past them to a seat.

"I spoke with Vance, he said that he's glad you finally told us but to keep it professional at work, and congratulations on the other thing." Pride told them as he came out on the deck and started handing out bowls of gumbo. "Your first job when you come back to work Sonja is to look up the regulations. come up with a summary of them for yourself, Chris, and I. So we all know what you can and can't do."

They ate in relative silence everyone enjoying prides cooking. When Sonja and Chris were done eating she set their bowls aside and moved to his lap. She needed to feel his arms around her. She sat with her legs hanging off one side of his lap and her right shoulder resting against his chest her head tucked under his chin. Chris ran one hand over her back, holding her close to him with the other. He kissed the top of her head before gently resting his chin on her head.

At prides look Chris grumbled, "we may be with our coworkers, but this is our home. We are allowed to be affectionate here."

"It's just surprising. you two never let on so you went from partners to being married in a day, in all of our minds." Pride responded.

"Married?" Patton asked.

"I did tell you to look around dear. There were wedding photos hanging on the walls with all the rest." Loretta answered him. "So when did you two get married?"

"It's been about six months." Chris answered feeling Sonja's body get more and more relaxed as she started to fall asleep. "When I asked her to marry me she said only if we go and get married right now. It was Friday and we hadn't had a case when we left work. We had hopped to have the whole weekend to ourselves." He shrugged and added, "at least the call didn't come through until Sunday evening."

"You two didn't do anything for your honeymoon?" Tammy asked a sad look on her face.

"It's sorta hard to get time off together when we are on the same team. And that team has no idea you are even dating much less that you got married and would like to go on a honeymoon." Sonja mumbled her eyes closed where she lay against Chris. "We were going to use this case to break it to everybody that we were seeing each other then have a fake wedding and a party on our anniversary. Then we may have gone on a honeymoon. But I think peanut is going to mess up that schedule."

"When did you find out?" Loretta asked, she chuckled when she heard Sebastian behind her explaining what peanut was to Patton.

"I found out when Sonja first woke up and we were talking to the doctor about what we could not talk about with her. I waited to tell her until she remembered we were an us. Until then she was told the prenatals she was taking were just general vitamins for her health. I didn't want to make her wonder who the dad was. I think it would have scared her that she didn't remember being in a relationship but she was pregnant."

Her mother seeing that Sonja was asleep shooed Chris to their bedroom with her in his arms. She with the help of the team quickly and quietly cleaned up and left so that they could both get some much needed sleep.

Chris carried her bridal style to their room and gently laid her on their bed. He carefully removed her socks and shoes. He didn't want to be so forward with her asleep to take off her shirt to get to her bra so he just unsnapped it hoping that would help her be comfortable enough. He wanted her awake the first time he undressed her again so she could tell him to stop if she wanted or got uncomfortable. Her mother knocked and he let her in.

"You aren't going to get her changed more than that?" She asked eyebrows raised.

"I had to fight tooth and nail to get your daughter to trust me enough to date me. I'm not going to back pedal our relationship because I undressed her while she was asleep after she didn't even remember us. I wasn't sure she even wanted me to sleep with her."

Her mother looked at him sadly. "She crawled into your lap in front of everyone. She wouldn't mind you making her comfortable and sleeping with her. But if you want I can get her changed. Even if you don't lay down and sleep with her I would recommend staying in here with her. You have been there every day at the hospital. Backing off now might back pedal more than just doing what you would have normally done."

Chris nodded and grabbed his own pajama pants and headed for the door. "Thank you."

He went to the kitchen and got them each a glass of water, then changed, before heading back to their bedroom. Sonja was swatting at her mom trying to get a shirt back on her.

Chris hoping her mom was right crawled in behind her and said into her ear. "Wake up, change, and stop fighting your mom trying to make you comfortable."

Her eyes slowly slid open and she saw her mom and turned to see him behind her. "Why is mom trying to make me comfortable?"

"He was worried you wouldn't be happy with him if he did it when you weren't awake to consent. I had to talk him into staying in here with you." Her mom answered her before Chris could even open his mouth.

Sonja gave him a confused look, "baby, we are married, don't overthink this. I want to get back to normal, that means us too. Hell I only wanted to snuggle when we got home, but I knew that everyone would be coming over." She ran a hand over his cheek. "But thank you for trying to be thoughtful. Thanks mom, but I think we've got this. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

Chris walked her mom to the door thanking her for helping. He locked the door behind her and returned to their bedroom and stopped dead in the doorway. Sonja was laying on the bed, mostly naked.

"Baby?" He asked walking closer to the bed, hoping he wasn't dreaming.

She held out her arms to him and he crawled into bed beside her. As soon as she was in his arms tears started to roll down her cheeks. Feeling the wetness on his chest Chris rocked her and whispered to her that everything would be ok. That he loved her and that their baby would be happy, healthy, and well loved. Together they could make it through anything.


	3. Post episode that ends with wake

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar. I mostly just wanted to get all my started stories out there. let me know if you want any continued. I wasn't sure if anyone was still reading to care for more.

Chris sat with the team at the wake, he sat with his back to her not wanting to see her with him. He was in shock. She had slept with this guy, her old partner, when she wouldn't even talk with him about the thing between them. And there defiantly was a thing. She kept holding back with him, and seeing who she took to her bed instead chris couldn't help but wonder if it might be because he was white.

"Earth to Lasalle!" Gregorio nearly yelled in his ear.

"What the hell Gregorio?" Chris barked back.

"You ring that glass any tighter and you are going to need some stitches." She told him. "Want to talk?" She asked giving him a sympathetic look.

Chris nearly growled as he set down his untouched shot. He knew better than to start drinking in this mood. If he did though she might just come find him and toss his ass into bed. But just because she would rescue him from himself didn't mean she felt anything for him. Not like he did for her obviously. He knew if he started drinking now he'd get nasty and as much as she hurt him he never wanted her to see that side of him. Knew that one would set off a downward spiral with his thoughts and actions. But hey what better place than in a bar surrounded by cops.

He jumped when Gregorio put a hand on his arm. She looked a little scared of him and slowly moved her hand off of him. He could only imagine what his thoughts made him look like. He knew what he was feeling and if it was half that bad it would scare even pride.

"You know I'm just going to go home." He said standing up and backing away from their table.

As he turned to head to the door though he ran into none other than Sonja Percy herself and looking upset too.

"Hey Percy you ok?" He asked concerned and just like that his dark thoughts were pushed away and he was focused on her well being.

"Yeah, no. I don't know." She said shaking her head. "Can we talk?"

Chris looked around and shrugged not sure what to she wanted to say, not sure he wanted to hear it. But hoping that maybe she would surprise him. He followed her to the back entrance and stepped outside when she opened the door.

She stood staring out of the ally for so long if her eyes had been closed he'd have thought she drifted off on him. He sighed getting impatient, all the liberties he'd have given her before this case gone. She looked up at him before looking away again.

"I don't really know what to say." She said finally and chris snorted.

Chris chuckled unkindly and said, "you asked me to talk but don't know what to say?"

He turned to start walking away but she grabbed his arm, pulled him down, and kissed him. Chris gathered her close and kissed her back, but then he pulled back shaking his head.

"I'm sorry but as much as I enjoyed that I won't be a second choice."

"You hit on everything with boobs and sleep with anyone willing but not me?" She asked tears in her eyes.

"Flirting gets information out of people sometimes, takes their guard down. And I haven't slept with anyone in a while."

"How long is a while?" She asked curious.

"I'd like to say since we agreed to not try us but Tammy got in my head, about having a personal connection. It's been longer but at least not since you called me the wrong mouse. I didn't know what you meant by what you said."

She looked at him shocked. "Months? Because I might have wanted to see where things with us went?"

"I knew what I wanted, apparently you didn't." He answered before turning and walking away, not bothering to go back through the bar. he had already said his goodbyes.

Chris got in his truck and sat there for a minute. He decided instead to call a cab. He hadn't had too much to drink but that added to his anger and it made him feel too shaky to drive.

When he got home he shot pride a text letting him know he was going dark before shutting off his cellphone and unplugging the house phone. If pride needed him he could call the neighbor and he would let chris know. He had needed the space the time only a few times before and both had been understanding. He settled in outside by a fire pit with a beer and the radio. Eventually he fell asleep in his reclining camp chair.

Sonja stared after him as he walked away open mouthed. What the hell had that meant? Pissed at him for walking away and pissed at herself for causing that look in his eyes she decided that she needed another drink and slid back inside.

She went to the bar and got a drink before heading to sit with the rest of the team. Gregorio having seen Jake leave and then chris too left her to her own thoughts until she was ready to leave. The rest tried to bring her into the conversation at first but noticed her mind was not on that and though curious left her to that.

"You ready to head home?" Tammy asked putting a hand on her arm to get her attention. Sonja focused on her and shrugged why not she though and stood with Tammy both saying their goodbyes.

As soon as the doors shut Tammy asked, "do you want to talk about it?" At the shake on her head Tammy turned on the radio and pulled out onto the street.

They were almost home when someone ran a red light and t-boned their car. Tammy battled back the air bag to try and see. "Sonja are you ok?" She asked, but there was no answer.

"Sonja?" She said again as she turned and saw her friend eyes closed and bleeding in the seat next to her.

Struggling with her door she was finally able to get out of her car. Just as she emerged the car that had hit them backed up and swerved around her taking off. Muttering under her breath as she dug for her phone. "sure hit a couple federal agents and take off, real smart. Got your plate dumbass and your car is smashed to shit kinda makes it easy to find."

Finding her phone in her footwell she placed a 911 call, since they wouldn't let her off the phone she told them that she and Sonja were ncis and to call pride. As she waited she reported as much as she could about the car that hit them and Sonja's condition.

She wasn't surprised when pride was the first one there, nor that the rest of the team that was still at the bar came with him. They didn't dare to move her and possibly make her injuries worse so they fussed over Tammy and made sure Sonja had a strong vitals checking on her a couple of times before the emts got there.

A nopd cruiser pulled up next and they pulled Tammy aside to go over what happened. They gave her a breathalyzer. She passed having only had one beer hours ago.

"Your dash cam rolling?" Asked one of the officers.

"Whenever the car is on yeah, you never know when you will catch a case." She answered honestly. "It's transmitted to headquarters, we can get you a copy." The emts where getting Sonja into the ambulance and Tammy looked back to the police she was dealing with. "Can I go with her? She has had a rough night and her family doesn't live in town. I'll be at the hospital if you guys need anything else."

They let her go and pride agreed if for no other reason than she should get checked out too for her to ride with Sonja. The rest of the team there followed them. Sebastian tried calling chris but when his house phone just kept ringing and his cell went straight to voicemail he left a message and gave up focusing on making sure the girls were ok.

When Sebastian said he called to the rest of the team in the waiting room they all breathed a sigh of relief that they hadn't had to make that call. The mice were tight and chris would be upset. They noticed over the next few days that he wasn't around but they assumed he didn't want to be there for reasons of his own, especially after Gregorio said she was pretty sure they had had a fight. Sebastian kept leaving increasingly worried voicemails.

Monday morning laurel forwarded a text to pride saying I think chris meant to send this to you. Sorry I shut my phone off so I could study. Everything alright? Followed by the text letting pride know he was checking out for a few days.

That explains him being mia, thanks baby. Pride texted her back and called Sebastian.

"Hey pride, any change?" Sebastian asked.

"No, I thought you said you spoke to chris?"

"I called him, and have been since the accident. I'm actually worried about him he hasn't answered or returned my calls. Not even a text, that's really weird for him. I usually get something."

"I just got a text he apparently accidentally sent laurel that he was going dark for a few days. That explains him not answering. Do me a favor and run to his place and check on him. Let him know what happened and if he wants get him to the hospital. His truck is still at the bar. I'm headed to the hospital now to release Gregorio."

Sonja felt like her head was wrapped in cotton. her ears sounded muffled, her nose felt stuffed and when she opened her eyes she couldn't see much, just a few blinking lights. She knew she was in a hospital she could hear the monitors feel the rhythmic pulsing of the anti clot boots on her lower legs. She groaned as the pain slammed into her now conscious brain.

"Hey there are you waking up?" Asked a voice she didn't know.

When her voice barely made a rasp she tried nodding but that hurt and made her groan again and louder which apparently was answer enough because the nurse called for a doctor and pride said from her other side.

"Welcome back, glad you are finally coming around. you gave us a scare."

A spoon came into her view with an ice chip and she opened her mouth needing the moisture. As soon as it was gone she opened her mouth for another. She heard the door open and then the doctor was there asking her questions. She answered them asking for more ice as she did her mouth and throat still so dry. The doctor left and the nurse came back and put something in her iv. That finished Sonja was alone with pride.

"Where is chris?" She asked looking confused.

Pride looked surprised but covered it quickly. "I sent him to get some sleep and shower. Sebastian should be back with him any minute."

"Is he ok, well he'd have to be if you sent him home right?" She asked looking slightly panicked.

"He is. Can you tell me what happened?"

Sonja frowned at him and said. "We were in a car accident. They hit my side. How bad is his truck? Pretty bad if I'm in here right? I don't remember. was it another truck that hit us? It would have to be right? A car against a truck wouldn't have hurt me this badly."

She noticed pride keep his face blank and wondered what that was about for a moment but the pain killers were kicking in and the thought drifted away.

"Sonja, can you tell me what you two were doing since we didn't have a case?"

"Looking for a place we could both agree on to eat."

"You were eating together why?"

Confused but sleepy she managed "date." Before she drifted to sleep and didn't notice prides shocked expression.

Just then chris came flying into the room. Pride motioned him back into the hall. He told Sebastian to sit with her a minute.

"I didn't know that my partner was in a car accident for three days and you won't let me see her after making sure I knew?" Chris all but snarled.

"She was just awake and talking but I'm concerned about what she said and would like to talk to you."

"Awake? Is she ok?" Chris moved to go around him and into the room, only to have pride block him again. "How is Gregorio by the way she was driving right?"

"Gregorio is fine, hardly a scratch. Sonja on the other hand doesn't remember that Gregorio was driving. She asked where you were if you were ok, how badly the truck was damaged."

Chris frowned, "we have never even been close to an accident in the truck. She can't be remembering a different time."

"I thought as much so I asked what you two were doing together in the truck when we weren't on a case. Her answer was looking for someplace to eat. When I asked why she said date as she slipped back into sleep."

Chris gaped at him, "she said what now? Jesus I can't even get her to admit I care about her as a partner and she bumps her head and now she thinks we are dating?"

"So it's not true, you two aren't seeing each other?" Pride asked and chris shook his head.

"I mean, that's sort of our problem. We are stuck. I know what I feel and what I want, but she is running from her feelings."

"What do you mean?" Pride asked looking concerned.

Chris paced as he explained the complicated relationship he and Sonja had had since the tug bomb case. Earlier than that if he did say so himself, but that's when it came to a head.

"So nothing had ever happened?"

Chris shrugged, "a hug and a couple almost kisses. And she asked to talk at the bar, but I was pissed off she slept with Jake. She kissed me and I walked away. God am I a dumb ass."

Pride clapped a hand on his shoulder not saying anything, knowing chris was beating himself up more than anything pride could say to him. "Let's find her doctor and explain what's happening and see the best course of action."

After listening to their concerns the doctor looked at chris, "sounds to me you want to date her, you ok with pretending until she remembers? I'd recommend nothing physical so that once she remembers she won't kill you since you weren't really dating. Occasionally instead of forgetting something our brain makes something up to protect itself. It's best not to tell her what actually happened. To let her remember naturally."

Chris scoffed, "She is going to be pissed when she remembers." Thinking that now he had to date her when before she turned him down at every chance she got.

They went back to her room chris took the place right next to her bed and pride asked to talk to Sebastian, thinking he would have to call the rest of their team and explain.

Chris took her hand, wondering what it was going to be like them actually dating. He let his thoughts wander until she cleared her throat. When he looked up she beamed at him. Chris couldn't help himself, he beamed back at her. He used his free hand to grab the cup of water that she was now allowed and offered her the straw.

"What's wrong?" She asked him seeing a strange look on his face.

He smiled at her but it still didn't reach his eyes. "I just don't like seeing you here. You scared me, us." He amended thinking he had barely known but the team had been while he wasn't here.

Chris stayed with her day and night unless pride kicked him out to shower. Pride caught him on the way back into the room one such day. "Tammy is with her. So you are taking this dating thing to heart?" Chris not really wanting to talk about it just shrugged and move around him to her room.

"You have to know something Tammy. You are a profiler and nosy to boot." Sonja was saying as chris walked in.

"Know what?" He asked.

"Why you are so sad." Tammy supplied making Sonja growl about girl code.

"My best girl, my city mouse is in the hospital and I can't be sad about it?" Chris asked trying for confused.

"There is hardly any kissing, no snuggling, no dinner and dancing, no lazy days relaxing. Well ok that last one. But it's not the same when you aren't snuggling together on a couch either both reading or watching something. Or me watching something and you reading."

"You read?" Gregorio joked looking at Lasalle with a mock shocked expression.

"Keep it up New York." He jibbed back.

"Or what?" She asked planting her feet shoulder width apart and her hands on her hips.

"I'll think of something." He said as he walked around her to Sonja's side. He leaned down and kissed her because she had expected him to. "Hey city mouse how are you feeling today?"

Before she was released the doctor decided it would be best for her to know she wasn't remembering everything exactly as it had happened. That it was a form of amnesia, and she had to remember what really happened on her own.

Pride decided that he would take her home so that tammys car being totaled and Chris's truck being fine wouldn't jar her too much. Tammy and chris both borrowed unmarked cars from nopd saying their cars were in the shop, Chris's for the accident and tammys just for a tune up. Chris followed pride as her took Sonja home wondering what the two were talking about. Tammy hadn't come to the hospital that morning knowing Sonja was being released.

"Do you know why chris seems so sad? Anytime I ask him he just mutters something about me being in the hospital." Sonja asked breaking the silence.

Pride shook his head. "So you will be out of the field for a few months while you heal and go through physical therapy. But if it were me I'd be going stir crazy, so you are welcome to come into the office and help with cases from there."

"Everyone knows what's wrong don't they? Everyone but me."

"Everyone but you and Tammy have not taken a blow to the head or spent a weekend unconscious at the hospital. And Tammy only had the bump on the head."

"Is he ok, at least. Not like he found out he had cancer or anything."

"Nothing like that. I'd recommend forgetting about it for now, just concentrate on getting better."

Sonja frowned when they pulled up at the apartment, "what are we doing here?" She asked making pride give her an odd look. "I've been spending most nights at Chris's, I guess I just figured he'd be so over protective that he'd want me to stay with him." She added.

"I think he is trying to be a gentleman and not keep you all to himself." Pride answered recovering from his shock at how far into their relationship Sonja had fabricated. "Let's get you inside and settled."

She took a pain pill before leaving the hospital knowing moving this much would hurt. Once they got her settled in bed she drifted to sleep. Pride motioned everyone out of her room.

"She thinks that you two are almost living together chris. She asked why we were here and not your place."

Chris just nodded from where he had collapsed onto the couch. His eyes were closed but pride could see the strain he was dealing with pretending to date Sonja.

"You are ok with this right chris?" He asked concerned for the younger agent. Chris just nodded silently, never opening his eyes. Moving closer Pride asked quietly. "You will let me know if this gets to be too much?" Again chris just nodded.

With a sigh chris got up and said quietly, "I'm going to go lay with her because I think she would expect that."

Gregorio and pride shared a concerned look as he walked away like he was headed to the gallows.

"I hate to ask this Tammy but keep an eye on both of them please. Let me know if chris moves to a darker place than this and if Sonja starts to follow. No matter what she expects he might not be the best thing for her right now, not like that."

To prides shock though chris actually seemed to improve the more time he spent with Sonja. That was until Sonja started feeling sick most of the time and she asked Tammy to grab her a pregnancy test. Chris pulled back full stop on the progress they had made. He stopped going to the apartment. Sent pride another text letting him know he was ok just going dark again.

Sonja didn't understand Chris's reaction to the news. He wasn't happy that they might be having a baby? He actually seemed hurt by the news. And it had been months since she was released and not once in that time had he taken her home, or done more than give her a peck of a kiss. Why didn't he seem to want her? She was out of her casts and started physical therapy.

She went to work with Tammy hoping to find him there and talk to him but he didn't come in. When she asked Pride he said that chris was taking a couple of personal days. The rest of the team noticed her wince from time to time during the day and figured she over did it but towards the end of the day she was gone for a long time in the bathroom Tammy went to check on her. She found her crying in the bathroom.

"Hey! What's wrong?"

"I have been cramping all day and I Came in here to pee but there was so much blood. I think I..." She trailed off on a sob. "I need chris, but something is wrong with him and he won't tell me." She said her voice trembling through her tears.

"Let's get you to the hospital and I'll send pride to find him and kick his ass all the way there to meet you." Tammy said pulling Sonja close to her side and walking out of the bathroom.

Pride was there pacing having heard the sobs. "Find chris, have him meet us at the hospital." At his wide eyes Tammy mouthed the words text you when I can. Over Sonja's head.

They poked and prodded her doing tests. They were doing an ultrasound when chris walked in and if Pride hadn't been behind him he would have turned tail and ran. But then he saw the tears on her face and moved to her side pushing Tammy out of the way. He kissed her temple and wiped away her tears murmuring to her and for the first time in days Sonja relaxed. She wondered still what was wrong but this was her chris. He was finally here with her, and they could get through anything together.

The doctor looked up at them both his eyes sad with sympathy. "I'm sorry it looks like the egg had attached in your tubes, my guess is your accident jarred it. And that saved your life, babies that carry farther into pregnancy's than this can cause serious damage to the mother, sometimes it can be fatal."

Chris tried to hide his relief that she wasn't pregnant with another mans baby anymore with shock but she saw it and she gave him a hard look. Once the doctor left Sonja asked to talk to chris alone. Pride and Tammy walked into the hallway, shutting the door behind themselves.

"Why are you so relieved?" She asked looking hurt that he didn't want their baby.

"Did you hear him, you could have died, Sonja." Chris tried.

"What happened? Why when you look at me do you have this shadow of sadness? Why are you relieved I'm lost our baby?" She notice his wince at our baby and asked in a quiet voice, "it wasn't our baby was it?"

He shook his head slowly watching her reaction to that news. She stared at him for a long while before asking, "and you knew for sure it wasn't our baby because we hadn't slept together had we? We weren't even dating were we? That's why you don't tell me you love me anymore or all I get are little peck kisses and hugs. Why I was moved into the apartment and not your house."

Chris just nodded holding her hand and brushing away the tears from her eyes with his other. "Shh, city mouse don't cry please. You want to know why I have been so sad?" At her nod he continued, "because us dating wasn't real and I wanted it to be. I do love you and I knew as soon as you remembered it would be over. Every kiss, every date tore out my heart and then you found out you were pregnant and I couldn't pretend to be happy, not when I knew it wasn't mine, but you thought it was. I'm honestly sorry you lost your baby because I know it hurt you to go through that."

"Who?" She asked sounding shocked. Chris shook his head, "I pushed your memory enough I shouldn't have said anything at all. I'm sorry." He kissed her temple and stood to leave.

"Stay please?" She squeaked grabbing his hand. "Hold me?"

He looked back at her seeing the fear and pain in her eyes. "You sure? You know we aren't seeing each other now and you still want me here? Holding you?"

See nodded and moved over on the bed rolling to one side so he could spoon in behind her. He stole her pillow extending his arm for her to lay her head on.

Pride and Gregorio found them like that sleeping after they had been alone for about an hour. Worried that they hadn't heard anything they poked their heads in to check on them. Back in the hallway Tammy let out a breath and said, "it's a good thing he loves her or I think this would have really messed her up."

"He loves her?" Pride asked shocked.

"Would you pretend to date your partner that in her Addled state thought you were a couple? And would you go off the grid because she found out she was pregnant and you knew it wasn't yours but she thought it was? Then coming running to comfort her when she might have lost said baby, knowing that she would expect you to be sad too? Especially when you really will be happy she lost this other mans baby."

Sonja woke surrounded by warmth and feeling safe, "chris?"

"Yeah city mouse." He answered softly his tone still sleepy and his lips brushing her ear.

"I wasn't in your truck for the accident was I?"

"No" He answered cautiously.

"That's why Tammy has a loaner too isn't it. It was her car that was hit. So I was with Tammy?"

"Yes, She was fine just a few bumps and bruises. Your side took the brunt of the impact. Guy ran a red light. Nopd picked him up the next day."

She rolled to her back so she could see his face. "Why did you walk away when I kissed you?"

"You have no idea how much I regretted that when I heard what happened. If I could have just let it go that I was obviously a second choice and just taken what you offered. You might not have been in that car, you might have been with me and safe."

"Second choice?" She asked confused.

He just shook his head a tear escaping his eye. She leaned up and kissed it away touched that he cared so much about her that he was crying that she was hurt.

"You aren't a second choice." She said softly.

"With everything that happened I certainly wasn't a first." He said pulling back. He'd have moved out of the bed if she hadn't cling to him then.

"Please don't go." She asked her voice shaking, "I need you."

Chris let out a breath, leaning his forehead against her temple he whispered, "You are killing me Sonja. Please don't cry city mouse."

A nurse came in a frown on her face and it made chris notice the monitors around them where erratic.

"Shh Sonja, I told you I do love you, I am not going anywhere. I'll be right here with you through all of it, until you tell me to leave. But you have to calm down or this nurse is going to make me move."

"Sir.." the nurse started as Sonja took a few calming breaths. Chris waived a hold on hand at her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms breathing with her. Slowly Sonja relaxed and the machines calmed down.

"She remembered some stuff and was a little freaked out." Chris told the nurse.

"Fine I didn't see anything, but only because I think you being there helped her. If someone else sees you it's not my fault. Your boss is still in the hall he was a little upset I wouldn't let him in just now when something was obviously wrong. He ok to come in with you two like this?" Chris looked at Sonja and at her shrug just nodded.

Pride stopped in the doorway shocked at them both still in the bed, awake. He was sure that the nurse would have made him get out.

"She just remembered some and got freaked out, her heart rate spiked and made the machines mad. I got her doing some deep breaths to bring it down." Chris explained the nurse visit.

"She didn't make you move?"

"She would have but I calmed her down without having to give her drugs so she said she didn't see anything."

"What did you remember?" Pride asked curious why she was still clinging to chris if she remembered they weren't dating.

"Chris leaving the bar pissed off at me, that sort of lead to knowing then that it was Tammy's car that got hit since she also has a loner. That lead to explaining why I was moved into the apartment instead of Chris's and realizing we weren't dating."

"So you are pushing yourself to remember?" Pride asked her while giving Chris a questioning look.

"She got upset because I tried to get up when she figured out we weren't dating. That's what set the machines off. She asked me to stay." Chris answered the look and then for Sonja he said, "yes she is."

Quietly she added, "and since we weren't dating the baby wasn't his."

Pride watched the tears well in her eyes at that statement before chris leaned down and whispered in her ear, she turned to him shock on her face and chris just nodded. Pride frowned at him but chris shook his head, not willing to tell his boss that he had offered to change that for her if she wanted him to. When she was ready.

"They are going to discharge you soon. They just want to run a couple of tests to make sure everything looks ok after..." he trailed off not wanting to bring up the miscarriage.

Sonja nodded and closed her eyes snuggling her face into Chris's chest.

She didn't want chris to leave her alone, even though she knew they weren't dating. Chris told her he wouldn't deny her anything. So they were laying together in her bed at the apartment. She looked up at him from where her face had been pressed against his chest. "Did you mean what you said?" She asked.

"Besides for your health I have never lied to you. But which thing that I have said are you wondering about?"

Her brow furrowed and she said, "well two things actually. You love me but we aren't dating? And you would be the..." She trailed off a tear escaping her eyes.

"Sonja I have trying to get us together for a while now and you kept pushing me away. And if that's what you wanted I would be willing to make that happen. Thanks to tucker I knew I wanted kids but thanks to Melody I knew I wanted them with someone I care about."

"Why do you think you are a second choice?" She asked in a small voice remembering their argument.

"Because I can't get you to admit you have feelings for me and go out even just on a date, but he comes around and you jumped into bed with him. Only Then when he leaves do you come and try to talk to me."

"Jake was falling back into old patterns, easy, not a first choice over you. We had slept together before, when we were partners. When he left I decided I wasn't going to do easy anymore, that I wanted to try terrifying."

"I'm terrifying?" Chris asked trying to pull back but she clung to him and he didn't want to hurt her.

"Not you, my feelings for you though. And knowing that you have feelings to. I have never gone into a relationship with my heart on the line." The last came out as a whisper and she ducked her head curling closer to him.

Chris lifted her chin so he could see her face. "I'm so sorry I walked away. I was hurt that you'd sleep with him and only when he left did you come to me." He kissed her gently. "Sonja would you go out with me, for real not you thinking that we are dating because of your bruised head, and me going but dying inside because it wasn't real?" She nodded and stretched up to kiss him again.

He took her out to eat the next night and when Tammy walked up to them kissing outside the apartment door she asked, "I thought you...?" She trailed off looking at chris to answer the question.

"Remembered we weren't actually dating?" Sonja asked. "Yeah I did." Sonja open the door and pulled chris in behind her straight to her room.

Behind them Tammy stood gaping, "so what, you really are dating now?" She asked their retreating backs.

"Yep." Sonja called before she shut her door.


	4. Post sonja meeting the lawyer

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar. I mostly just wanted to get all my started stories out there. let me know if you want any continued. I wasn't sure if anyone was still reading to care for more.

All Sonja could think about was the pause before he described them as coworkers to his suited up lawyer. Did he want them to be more? Or was she just reading into it because she knew she wanted more. She sat with the team brooding not being her normal life of the party self.

Sonja walked out about an hour later not wanting to hang out anymore. Chris was just walking up and he was sans lawyer.

"What'd ya do with the lawyer?" She asked her tone flat.

"Finished the paperwork she needed and left her to her own devices." He answered falling into step with her instead of going inside.

"What, not going inside now that you are here?" She asked frowning at him.

"Not when the person I want to see is not there." He answered.

She stopped and looked at him raising an eyebrow.

"Can we talk? I..." he trailed off not sure how to say what he wanted.

"We are talking." She answered with a duh tone that put his teeth on edge.

"No, this is more like arguing then how we used to talk." He said and with a heavy sigh turned back toward his truck. "Never mind I guess."

She grabbed his arm and gave him a questioning look as she fell into step with him this time.

"I don't have the energy to keep fighting." He told her trying to dislodge her hand from his arm.

She let go but kept up with him. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked curious.

"The maybe retired but maybe not mice." He answered honestly and watched her face close down. He shook his head. He must have been crazy to think that her reaction to the pause and meeting Rebecca was because she wanted something here. Without seeing if she was still with him he started for his truck again.

Sonja had to run and catch up with him when he just walked away. She was so nervous and not wanting to show it because what if he didn't feel the same way but something in her expression had made him just walk away, like she had done something that hurt him.

He looked at her in surprise when she got in beside him before he could start the truck. "I thought you didn't want to talk?" He said cautiously.

"It makes me nervous, but I agree we need to talk." She admitted.

Chris started his truck but didn't put it in gear right away. He decided he would put what he wanted out there and if she didn't agree or at least want to talk it out she could walk home like she planned.

"I don't know that we made the right decision after Hamilton." He said watching her face.

"We?" She asked thinking he had decided that they should put their feelings aside. That she had been about to kiss him, he hadn't known.

He frowned, "You agreed with me."

"Because I had been thinking about the opposite and when you said that after being the one pushing for more I couldn't say anything." She answered.

"I..." He started his mouth working open and closed but no words came out he rested his head on the seat back and gritted out quietly. "I really wish you had said something. I said that because I couldn't take you pulling back again. If it was my choice I guess that made it like you weren't rejecting me." Turning to look at her he continued. "I screwed up, can you forgive me? Can we talk about forgetting about me being a dumb ass, and trying this thing between us?" He asked hope shining in his eyes.

"Forgive you, Yeah. With my track record on that front I could see being defensive. Forget you were a dumb ass? I'll think about it. Talk about this thing between us? Yeah I think it is well over due." She said taking one of his hands and squeezing it.

A lopsided grin on his face chris asked, "Sonja Percy would you go on a date with me?"

"I will, but I have a condition." When he looked at her curiously she continued, "we make sure to accidentally on purpose run into Rebecca and you try that introduction again."

He raised a brow, "jealous of someone I never dated?" He asked confused.

"Staking a claim in front of someone that wants you to herself." Sonja said with a shrug making him grin.

"Well I happen to know she hadn't eaten dinner yet as she tried to get me to take her out. How about we try going to eat at the restaurant in her hotel and see if we can't make that happen? What would you like to be introduced as, my girlfriend?" He asked.

"You don't actually say anything to her. If she's there just be I don't know possessive I guess. A hand on my back guiding me around. Hold my hand, a kiss maybe." She said blushing.

Chris smiled and moved closer to her. "Can we try that kiss first, you know practice makes perfect and I don't want to let you down, again."

She smiled shyly and nodded leaning in meeting him halfway. She forgot all about Rebecca. He nibbled her bottom lip and she opened her mouth with a little moan. Chris took advantage and swirled his tongue against hers exploring her mouth.

She pulled back needing air and he leaned his forehead against hers. "God, am I an idiot." He whispered.

"I won't hold it against you." She answered with a half smile.

He kissed her again. Before pulling back a huge smile on his face. "Alright let's see about your condition."

He parked and they walked inside his arm draped over her shoulder. They were talking and his attention focused solely on her. They forgot all about Rebecca waiting to be seated and sitting close lost in each other.

They both startled when someone stopped next to their table and cleared their throat. Sonja looked up and frowned. Chris noticed her reaction and turned to see who had interrupted their conversation.

"Well hey Rebecca." He said with a smile. Sonja kicked him under the table and he turned that smile on her.

"I thought you said you didn't want to go out to eat?" She said her tone icy.

Still smiling chris said, "what I said was that I wanted to see why Sonja left in a mood, and I didn't want to go to eat with you."

Sonja smacked his arm lightly. "Be nice chris. It's your own fault for calling me a co-worker. If you'd said something else Rebecca might not have gotten the impression that you didn't have someone in your life."

"Hey!" He said surprised. "I thought we already talked about that. We were at work. Work doesn't know so I played it safe if anyone was around."

Sonja frowned at him, "everyone had left, and you know it."

Rebecca started backing away then a small smile on her face for having started an argument between them.

"Did you need something?" Chris asked noticing that she was trying to leave and seemed satisfied by the show they were giving her.

"No, no, not tonight. I just wanted to check up on my old friend and newest customer." She said her voice silky. "Wouldn't want all that money taken advantage of."

"Are you calling me a gold digger?" Sonja asked getting up and moving toward Rebecca making the other woman step back looking scared.

"Well you obviously didn't have a public relationship before since your work doesn't know. But you are out together now that you know he's worth billions."

Sonja staggered looking at chris, her charming country bumpkin Chris. "Billions?" She asked him. "Hell chris, I didn't know that." She looked almost panicked.

"Relax city mouse, I'm still the same old country mouse you were with before." He drawled but watched her closely, he'd be pissed if she pulled back again just because he had money now. He also didn't like how people at the tables around them were starting to take notice and phones were coming out.

"Rebecca I think it's time for you to leave. A lawyer should know when their client does and does not want their personal information yelled about the room. And with me that would be never. You are lucky I know nothing about the business or I would be shopping for another lawyer. In fact I might still and have you teach them about the company to take over for you."

Rebecca's face drained of all color and she nearly ran back to her own table signaling frantically for her check. However all of the staff were converging on Sonja and Chris.

"Do you have a private dinning area for us to be moved to? This has become too crowded." Chris asked the first staff member to reach him.

"Of course sir. madam, Right this way. We will have fresh meal brought out right away. Surely this meal has gone cold." The manager offered leading them away.

A valet brought Chris's truck to a private entrance on the side of the hotel when chris said he wished to leave unnoticed. He drove her home not letting go of her hand. When he stopped outside her place he pulled her close for another kiss. She smiled against his lips enjoying being able to kiss him.

"I had a great night, well besides Rebecca." Chris whispered his lips barely off of hers before kissing her again. Sonja merely made a noise of agreement as she kissed him back. Chris pulled back again looking down at her his eyes letting her know he wanted more but he said, "I think it would be best if you went upstairs now."

Sonja watched him a moment then said, "yeah that's probably a good idea. I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him one last kiss before getting out.

When Sonja got inside Tammy nearly screamed, "where have you been? You left the bar hours ago? And why didn't you answer your phone? Shit I was freaking out, about to call pride and mount a search!"

"I ran into Chris outside pride's bar. We had that talk that pride has been asking us to have for a while. Sorry I didn't know my phone was going off." She pulled it out and found it dead. She frowned but shrugged and said, "it was dead sorry."

"Talk?" Tammy asked her eyebrows sky high. "For hours?"

Laughing Sonja said, "we had a late dinner while we talked. Relax Tammy nothing like what is going through your brain happened."

Still grinning Tammy said, "dinner? So maybe you two decided something might happen in the future?" She asked her curiosity killing her.

Sonja shrugged. "We didn't discuss anything happening at all at dinner."

Tammy frowned at her, "Then what did you have to talk about?"

Again Sonja shrugged, "work, his lawyer, but mainly because she showed up and had a canary."

"Why did she have a canary?" Tammy asked suspicious.

"Because apparently we can't be coworkers and go to dinner to talk. Which makes me a gold digger she had to defend him from. But she nearly yelled to the whole place what he's worth. Chris is so pissed told her he was going to hire an new lawyer for her to train because she forgot a main stay of her job. Client confidentiality." Sonja said laughing remembering her face when he said that.

"So nothing happened between you two, just a talk, interrupted by crazy lawyer?" Tammy asked confused by their relationship.

"Just a talk, now I'm headed to bed it's late." Sonja said walking away.

Her phone vibrated as soon as it powered on making her jump as her thoughts had wondered. She opened it smiling seeing that it was from Chris.

'Hey city mouse, I'm home.' She quickly got another one 'I hear you had a date tonight. New guy? Is he sexy? ;)'

Sonja laughed as she started getting ready for bed and answered him. 'Hey country mouse glad you got home ok. And yeah I'm kinda biased but I'd have to say he's sexy. I saw him with his shirt off once, the muscles he has are amazing.'

'Was he smart or funny at dinner? Did you have a good time? You two click?'

'What about your new girl, huh? She sexy, smart, and funny?' Sonja texted laughing. 'Yes, I had a great time, despite his lawyer trying her best to mess it up.'

'She's not so new for me. She is the whole package, smart, witty, sexy, and not going to let me get away with any bullshit. Yeah lawyers can get sticks up their asses pretty easy. I'm glad you had a good time. Anything happen ;)?'

'How was your date, fun? And get your mind out of the gutter Christopher it was a first date. Thought Tammy asked me the same thing. I told her it was just a talk.'

'I had a great time, I enjoy talking with her, and sitting close so a hand could maybe stray to her leg and let her know my mind wandered to what she has on under her clothes. Yeah I figured Tammy would ask. Why not just tell her? And there wasn't even a kiss?'

'Your mind is always in the gutter isn't it? Trust me I'm not forgetting that kiss anytime soon. I could tell her but she works with me, if I tell her could she keep her mouth shut until I'm ready to share with the rest of the team?'

'You liked the kiss huh? That's always a good sign you'll like the rest of the package when you decide you are ready for it. You are allowed to date, why would work care?'

'Yep, your mind is always in the gutter. But yeah I liked the kiss, almost invited him up but I figured Tammy would be home, that wouldn't have been fun. I'm just kinda personal, meeting the team is like meeting the parents. I want to have time just for us before we tell the team. Besides they are investigators shouldn't they be able to tell something changed?'

'Oh, you would have Invited him up If Tammy hadn't been home? what had you planned to do with him once he was upstairs? I get the meeting the parents thing, I bet he'd understand and do that when ever you were ready.'

'One track mind.' She answered giggling to herself.

'Hey can you fault me? The kiss I had was seriously hot and you were talking about inviting your guy up to your apartment. That's like leading my thoughts in that direction. You gonna go out with him again?'

'If he asks, yeah.'

'How soon is too soon to ask out the lady you just had a first date with? I don't want to have her think I'm desperate or anything.'

'Oh I don't know that whole waiting thing will just make her nervous you didn't have as good a time as you said. I'd say the next time you see her maybe?'

'Are you nervous your guy won't ask you out again?'

'I don't think so, but I see him so much that if he waited too long I might start to worry. What if he didn't like the kiss as much as I had. I mean we did kiss more than once. but that might be him giving me a second shot.'

'Give yourself more credit I bet you were amazing. Any guy would want a second date.'

Sonja couldn't believe they were talking like girlfriends about their date. Like they hadn't gone out together. But she was sort of glad because it calmed down her anxiety that she had just had a date with Chris. Her partner Chris, her country mouse, the chris she was afraid she was already in love with.

'Sonja? You still there city mouse?' Chris texted again after a long silence.

'Sorry. sleepy. my mind wandered.'

'Then I will let you get to sleep. Good night city mouse. Sleep well Sonja, mamour.'

'Mamour?' She texted back curious.

'I'll explain it some other time, sleep now, you are tired.'

Shrugging Sonja texted back, 'good night country mouse. Sweet dreams chris. ;)' she fell asleep her phone still in her hand and a happy smile on her face.

Chris lay in his bed wondering at his luck. Not only had he had a great date with Sonja. He could tell their goofy texting about it afterward had so far kept her from worrying too much about the future. Now to plan how to ask her out a work, without letting everyone know he was the one doing the asking.

Chris ended up passing her a note as they made their coffee the next morning. They were alone in the kitchen so she opened it up and smiled, nodding at his request for dinner again that night. She stuffed the note in her pocket and reached out and grabbed his hand in a quick squeeze as she went back into the bullpen.

They went to dinner that night and continued their note passing at work, becoming skilled like pick pockets so that the other might find a random note in their pocket during the day. Sometimes they just said thinking about you. Asking each other out, flirting with things they couldn't say out loud at work. Telling her she looked beautiful that morning or he looked hot in his undercover outfit. Occasionally the note was placed in the back pocket and accompanied by a quick caress.

About a month later Sonja found a note asking her to dinner at his place. She quickly wrote out a response, could she bring a bag? And at the next opportunity slipped it into his back pocket purposefully caressing before she moved away.

They caught a case which usually meant their plans would be placed on hold but chris gave her a note saying why not still bring that bag? She shook her head and when they were next in the truck she explained.

"Tammy knows I'm seeing someone, she knows me well enough to know id never spend the night during a case. Especially not for the first time. Besides I don't want to have to be called out of bed our first time in the middle of the night because we got a lead."

Chris understood her logic and nodded saying, "ok then, when this case is over then."

The case took several days and their teasing of each other through the notes escalated each day. Sonja started it by wondering what she should pack describing several different sexy undergarments she could wear for him. He responded that she'd probably not wear many clothes while at his house so bring whatever she wanted. That led to Sonja saying that maybe she'd just bring her shower supplies and have him help her apply lotion descriptively. Each one pushing them just a little farther.

At the end of the case Sonja flew through her paperwork and left saying bye to everyone and walking home so she could pack and be ready when Chris came to pick her up. Tammy watched her go curiously but just shrugged and finished her own paperwork.

Pride and chris were the last ones there and Pride asked, "is Sonja ok? She was getting jumpy and she flew out of here tonight."

"She has been seeing someone, he asked her overnight for the first time and she had to keep putting him off because of the case." Chris answered.

"How do you know that and not Tammy, they live together?" Pride asked frowning.

"When Tammy asks personal questions she jumps down your throat. I have been partners with Sonja for years, that just gets her back up. I asked how things were going and if they had any plans after the case." Chris answered with a shrug.

Chris got a text then and smiled, Sonja letting him know that Tammy was home and it was safe to come get her. "Speaking of dates, that was mine checking on when I'm coming to get her. I'll catch you later king."

Chris parked on the opposite side of the building from their apartment so Tammy couldn't look out and see who was picking up Sonja. She climbed in bag in hand and leaned over giving him a long kiss.

Instead of cooking tonight he ordered takeout from her favorite restaurant. He'd cook for her tomorrow. Tonight they'd be too impatient for that. Well he know he would be at least.

They lay in bed together later tangled together and breathing hard. Chris's head resting on her breast. "Why did we wait so long to do this?" She asked.

He pulled her down for a kiss and said, "because I wanted you to know you were special to me. All you ever saw me do with anyone else was one and done. I wanted you to know you are more than that for me. But you are right maybe a month was a bit too long." She smiled and pushed him to his back kissing him hard, liking that answer.

He held her cradled on his chest later, dawn just peaking through his curtains when she asked, "you call me mamour sometimes, what does that mean?"

Chris blushed but answered, "It's an endearment, it's short for mon amour."

She lifted her head and looked down at him shock on her face, "You have been calling me your love since our first date?"

"I told you a long time ago that I cared about you. I knew before our talk what those feelings where." He answered honestly.

She kissed him smiling and said, "ok roméo that was smooth."

Another couple of months passed and Tammy cornered Sonja while she was making her coffee. "So am I going to get to meet this guy before you completely move out? Not that I'm really complaining I mean you are still paying your half of the rent and you are hardly ever there. I just thought we were closer friends than this."

"We are. I just..." She trailed off trying to explain why she wasn't bring her boyfriend around. "He's different you know, we are taking big steps slowly. I mean we didn't sleep together for over a month. Meeting the team is like taking him home to meet the parents, that's a big step."

"You are thinking about taking him home?" Tammy asked shocked, Sonja didn't do long term and once told her she would never take anyone home she could not see herself with forever.

"Yeah, I have to tell him about my dad still. But yeah thinking about it at least." Sonja answered blushing.

Chris walked in and asked, "Hey lady's whatcha talking about?"

"Sonja's boyfriend." Tammy answered before Sonja could say anything. "Apparently they are getting kinda serious."

Trying to look shocked and not awkward chris asked, "oh, what do you use as a gage for how serious a what three month relationship is?"

"I asked if I was ever going to get to meet him before she completely moved out. And she said they are taking big steps slow, and meeting the team is like meeting the parents. That made me ask if she was thinking about taking him to meet her parents."

Curious chris turned to Sonja and asked innocently, "so what did you say?"

"That I was thinking about it." She was still blushing and chris had to fight not to kiss her and pull her close so he could let her know that she was all that mattered to him and whenever she was ready they would go.

Instead he said, "if you guys are that serious he's probably thinking along the same lines."

Tammy turned to him, "what about you chris. You and the girl you are seeing getting serious too?"

"I'm seeing someone?" He asked raising a brow.

"Oh come on, you are at least getting some on a regular basis again, but I haven't seen the parade of women it was said you had before."

"What makes you say that?" Chris asked genuinely curious.

"Because you are..." she looked for a word, "i don't know more relaxed, and you have way more stress with your dads company and everything."

Chris shrugged, "I started getting a massage regularly that helps with the stress."

"How about the lawyer thing? Didn't Sonja say that you threatened to sack her and make her train her replacement?" Tammy asked wondering about that stress.

Chris frowned. "She is training a replacement, they are to the point where he is around alone about 80 percent of the time. So still phasing her out. What does that have to do with what we are talking about?"

"See your stress level is high, I doubt even a daily massage could keep you this relaxed with out getting some regularly too. So who is the girl and why haven't we met her?"

"Just because I learned about discretion now that I own the company doesn't mean I'm seeing a single someone. I can't be seen as playboy. I'd get the media face time because of the company but that would hurt my job here at ncis."

"Ah, so you are back to the badge bunny parade then?"

"I wouldn't say badge bunnies." Chris started, and to his relief pride came in then saying they had a case.

In the truck Chris asked, "do you really want to?"

"I, Ah. Yeah. But I need to tell you about my dad before you go meet him."

He smiled, "whenever you are ready mamour."

"Not at work, but yeah soon, roméo." She answered smiling back at him.

A few weeks later Chris and Sonja stood outside the gates of the prison where her father was held. "You sure about this roméo?" Sonja asked.

He kissed her then took her hand and walked toward the gate. They went through security leaving behind everything down to their shoe laces. Then they were led to a room with bolted down table and four chairs. Her father was sitting there looking menacing but when Sonja walked in his face brightened.

"Baby girl! I didn't know it was you. They told me some feds were here to see me." He said standing and giving her a hug making the guard snap, "no touching!"

Her father turned around and snapped back. "My daughter is a federal agent. What exacting is she doing to do during a hug? Pat me down?"

"You're in here for murder. Who's to say you didn't want to kill her too?" The guard replied calmly.

"I murdered the asshole that tried to rape her."

"And you have been in jail for years for that, could make you bitter."

Chris watched all of this wondering how often the two of them went through this banter. Which made him wonder how often Sonja came for visits.

"Daddy, I want you to meet chris." Sonja said gesturing him closer. Her fathers eyes zeroed in on him and hardened, his smile falling away.

"Sir." Chris said extending his hand. Glancing at the guard he added, "also a federal agent, though I'm not going for the hug because I'm dating his daughter and I don't think he'll like that."

Her father took his hand and squeezed. "Does dating equal sleeping together?"

Chris nodded and said, "it does." Not squeezing back and not wincing just holding the hand shake solidly. But Sonja squawked unhappy that he had asked and that Chris had answered so bluntly. "It's ok mamour. He is your father. I knew he would be over protective about you before you even told me he was here and why." He turned back to her father and said, "I'm Christopher LaSalle. I have been partners with Sonja at ncis for a few years now. We started dating a few months ago."

"This is country mouse?" Her dad asked letting go finally and sitting at the table.

Chris grinned at her, "you've talked to your dad about me?"

"Oh relax roméo. He asks about work, so he has heard about all of our coworkers."

"Why did you try and keep her off that tug boat?" He dad asked watching him closely.

"I never want to image the world without Sonja. The thought of losing her was tearing my heart out." Chris answered honestly.

"So you'd lay down your live for her?"

"I want to immediately say yes, but I know my dying in her place would be just as hard on Sonja as her dying would be on me. so I'd try to keep us both alive. If it came down to it though I would pick her over myself every time."

"She has the bomb training for that situation but you tried to take her place."

"That was before we were dating and honestly probably the day I figured out that I love her. We have talked since then about allowing each other to do our job. Which in her case includes bombs."

"And have you allowed that of each other?" Chris looked at Sonja and they weighed their answer.

"I think we have." She answered finally.

"Does he make you happy?"

"Yes daddy, I'd never bring anyone to meet you that didn't."

"He said that he loves you. Do you feel the same baby girl?"

Sonja beamed as she said, "yeah daddy, I love chris." Chris beamed back at her, unable to help it because it was the first time she said the words. He wrapped and arm over her shoulders a squeezed her to him.

Her dad looked between them and asked chris, "why do you look so I don't know relieved by that?"

"She hasn't said the words before. She asked a little while ago what mamour meant, it's short for mon amour, my love. And she just went that's smooth roméo."

"In my defense I was absorbing the fact that you have called me that since our first date." Sonja said softly.

Chris kissed her temple and whispered, "It's just nice to hear you say out loud what you have been saying with little things for a while. Like bringing me to meet your dad, you would never have done that if you didn't, wouldn't have even brought it up."

Sonja turned and kissed him, just a peck but all the men moved. Her father stood, the guard moved closer, and Chris pulled back. "I know visitors are allowed to touch but that son was a dumb move." The guard snarked at them.

His voice turning menacing her father asked. "What did you say that made that happen?"

"That yeah it was nice to hear the words but that she had been telling me in other ways her feelings. Like she never would have brought me here if she didn't love me."

"You say you love my daughter. Where do you see this going?" her dad asked easing back down to his seat.

"Well, I know what I'd like, but Sonja doesn't like to move too fast. I wouldn't want to ask anything of her she wasn't ready for." Chris hedged.

Sonja looked at him thoughtfully. "How will you know if I'm ready for whatever you'd like to ask?"

With a grin chris said, "well hopefully I'll do better than when you were ready to start going out. That could have turned out badly."

"What is it you'd like to have happen?" Her father asked his expression Stoney.

Chris turned from him to study Sonja for a while. Finally while still watching her he said, "I'd like to ask her to marry me."

Her mouth fell open and she forgot to breathe. Chris pulled her into his arms seeing the panic. He whispered into her hair. "You don't have to answer that mamour. When ever you want to talk about it we can." He closed his eyes trying not to be hurt by her reaction. He rested his head on top of hers and just held her close.

Her father watched them, knowing now the question he thought that this was a brave man. As he had been right Sonja didn't move fast in relationship, well she actually rarely had relationships because of that. "Baby girl?" He said trying to get her attention. She still seemed like she was in shock but she turned to face him. "I like him, brave and very much in love with you."

She turned back to Chris. He felt her lips move against his chest and heard the barest whisper from her, "Yes."

Chris pulled her back from him so he could see her face. "You mean it? I don't have the ring with me mamour."

"You have a ring?" She asked shocked.

Chris blushed. "I... ah, yeah." At her look telling him to continue he added. "I have had it for a while." At her confused and maybe hurt look he added, "it's a family heirloom, I just have had it since the first time you came home with me." With a grin he added, "I sent Rebecca home to Alabama to get it for me. If you want one you pick out though that's fine, it's not like I don't have the money to get you whatever you want."

The Rebecca part made Sonja laugh. She said, "if sure I will love it if you want me to have it."

her father asked, "Rebecca?"

"Chris's bitch ass, on her way out, lawyer. She called me a gold digger on our first date."

"On her way out?"

"She is training her replacement to help me run my father's company." Chris answer, "I didn't like the way she treated Sonja and she yelled to the whole restaurant what I'm worth and I don't like that kind of spot light. And I didn't want that kind of spot light on Sonja, it was our first date and the media can be awful."

Sonja looked surprised, "are you having problems with the media?"

"Not now, it's pretty hush hush who took over when he died mostly because I'm not around. When I was a kid it was pretty bad. I'm honestly amazed no one got a hold of a copy of his will to figure out he named me even though I told him I don't want his stupid company."

"So you can provide for my baby girl?" Her father asked.

"As long as the oil business doesn't go belly up. And even then probably for a long time after that." Chris answered. "Well and then I've already started turning the company to cleaner resources as well. The company is poised to leap a hurdle in that area as well."

They left with another hug and a handshake making the guard grumble. When they retrieved their phones they both had several messages from the team. Apparently they had a case. Not good seeing as they were not in New Orleans.

Chris texted pride saying he had gone to Alabama trying to figure out a solution for the cade issue, and had forgotten his phone in his truck.

Sonja texted the truth as pride knew all about her father. That she had been visiting and hadn't had her phone.

Pride texted them both back ok but let him know ASAP when they were back in town.

Pride at the office wondered about their texts coming in at almost the same time. But he knew that chris had been distracted by Cade being in a home, and that Sonja regularly visited her father.

They drove back with Sonja snuggled under his arm in the middle seat of the truck. Chris dropped her at her car, which had still been at her apartment.

"What if Tammy asks how you got there?" Chris asked before she could get out.

"I took my boyfriend to meet him." Sonja answered, "he drove us." She shrugged and leaned up for a kiss before getting out. She ran up to her apartment and got her go bag before running back down to her car. Chris had already left so that they wouldn't arrive at the same time at work.

Chris got to the office and went inside and asked to get caught up.

"We are waiting on Percy still, she should be here any minute." Pride answered, not looking up engrossed in something on his computer.

"Percy?" Chris asked trying for confused and looked around like he thought he was the only one that hadn't been here.

"Yeah, She was out visiting her dad, she should be back soon."

About 10 minutes later Sonja came in with beignets, "I ordered on the road as a sorry for not getting your call," she said setting them in prides desk. "So What did I miss?"

The distraction was enough that no one mentioned how closely together the two had arrived. And they were pulled into the investigation.

Over the next few weeks they used weekends without cases to go visit first her mother, then Chris's mother and stepmother. While they were in Alabama chris stopped at the office with her in tow to do a little work. They walked out hand in hand and at the truck he gave her a kiss before helping her up into the truck. They went to their dinner reservations, neither paying any attention to their surrounding as they were not on duty.

That night when they were alone at the hotel chris pulled something out of his bag and turned back to her getting down on one knee. "Sonja, mamour, you are my heart, my world. Will you marry me?" He asked her showing her the ring.

She stood there slightly shocked tears silently streaming down her face as she nodded and gave him her hand. Chris slid the ring on and she lifted her hand so she could admire the ring.

The next day they went and saw Cade who noticed the ring right off and expressed his happiness for them finally figuring themselves out. After visiting Cade they stopped in to say goodbye to his mother. She saw the ring and started crying, hugging them both.

"Momma, you knew I was gonna ask when I sent Rebecca to get the ring."

"Yeah but she could have said no."

They stayed through dinner having spent lunch with Cade. But then they hit the road home.

In the truck Sonja said, "I need a necklace to wear this on at work." Looking at her ring.

"Not ready to tell the team?" Chris asked curious.

"No, not that. I can't wear crime scene gloves with it on. It would tear them. If I wear it on a necklace at work I won't have that problem."

Chris understood that and the next time he passed and exit that had a mall he got off the highway and pulled in.

Sonja frowned at him and asked, "what are we stopping for?"

"You said you needed a necklace." Chris said as he got out of the truck.

"Yeah roméo But this mall is closing." She said when he opened her door for him.

"Don't worry about it." Chris told her.

He put her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her to the door a security guard was just about to lock. Chris knocked to get his attention. When they guy opened the door chris gave him 100 dollar bill and asked if her could lead them to the closest jewelry store. The gate over the door was already shut but there were still employees in the store. Chris called their attention to him and again offered cash to anyone willing to help them find a necklace he could buy before they closed completely. The entire staff came over and started showing them around.

Chris had Sonja show them the ring and based on the white gold it was made from point them towards similar necklaces. Sonja tried to say she wanted a silver plated cheap one flustered at the way chris was throwing around cash, but no one even entertained that as an option. Chris selected a simple chain that matched the color of the ring exactly when he showed it to her she simply nodded, wanting to be done holding these people up. Chris checked out and handed everyone that had helped some cash for their help and willingness to stay late.

They returned to work the next day, no one even noticing her new necklace. For about a week everything was back to normal then one morning they came into work and found the rest of the team there waiting for them a range of expressions on their faces. Tammy looked pissed, Patton happy, Sebastian confused, Pride unreadable.

"What's up guys?" Chris asked his own face showing confusion.

Sebastian handed him a gossip rag, it was closed so he could see the cover and a page was marked. The front page showed a picture of him and Sonja leaving the prison where he father was holding hands smiling at each other with the header. "Oil tycoon getting a ball and chain?"

Chris showed it to her then opened to the marked page. There were shots of them from their entire relationship. Even one of her showing the ring to the jewelry store staff. His mouth fell open that they had been stalked and hadn't even noticed it.

He turned to Sonja his mouth working for a minute before he said, "I'm sorry, I honestly didn't know they had figured out I was named in dads will or I would have known to look for someone following me around."

She shrugged. "We had planned to tell them the next time we were at the bar anyway. It's hard to send out wedding invitations to people that don't even know you are dating much less engaged. All of our parents know already so it's not that big of a deal."

"Wedding...?" The rest of the team chorused, with a range of emotions.


	5. Dancing

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar. I mostly just wanted to get all my started stories out there. let me know if you want any continued. I wasn't sure if anyone was still reading to care for more.

The team was at prides bar, drinking after a hard case. There wasn't a band in tonight. So Wanting to celebrate the closure Sonja talked chris, Gregorio, and Sebastian into going out to a club.

They all hit the dance floor drinks in hand. Sebastian being slightly socially awkward stuck close to one of them most of the night. The four of them danced together, and going off to dance with someone that caught their eye but coming back to the group.

Wondering what they would do Gregorio pulled Sebastian with her off the dance floor. She watched as chris and Sonja came back together as if the group was still there, but not realizing it was just the two of them. They slid closer to one another, his hands going to her hips, and hers behind his neck.

Sebastian was trying to talk to Gregorio but she shh'ed him. trying to see if they would finally do something about their tension. Sonja seemed to noticed what they were doing and went to pull back, but chris spun her, and wrapped her up in his arms. her back to his front. He was talking into her ear his head ducked so Gregorio couldn't see what he was saying and it was driving her nuts.

"Play along, Gregorio is studying us again." Chris whispered to her. When she giggled like he was tickling her as if he was coming onto her he figured that was a yes. "Alright dance with me, and let's make it raunchy." He told her as the next song came on.

She turned and gave him a wink over her shoulder with a sly smile. She moved one hand up behind his head keeping him close to her as his hand slid lower on her front pressing her perfect little ass against him as she ground back he caught her free hand in his and they moved to the beat together, eyes locked mouths almost touching.

Sebastian's jaw dropped, "did you know that would happen?" He asked Gregorio.

"No, I actually think it started as a show, and now they don't know what to do because I doubt it's a show anymore."

Chris couldn't help his reaction to her, and he knew she could feel it against her as she danced against him. His eyes moved down to her lips and he wondered what she would do if he kissed her. Sonja could see his thoughts when they crossed his face and she wanted the kiss, she craved it. had been dreaming about it for over a year now.

Chris spun her to face him both of his hands riding low on her back his finger tips riding right at the top of her ass. Slowly he slid and hand up her body making sure to graze the side of her breast as he went past. He cupped her cheek with one hand as they continued to dance together. Their bodies fitting together perfectly, moving smoothly, like they had been doing this for years. Slowly he leaned in giving her time to pull away if she wanted, she didn't, and he kissed her. Slow and tender grew into hot and needy. Chris's hand on her back slid down and grabbed her ass as her hands moved up into his hair.

Chris pulled back and looked down at her. He leaned down to her ear so she could hear him, "go out with me?"

With a wicked laugh she said, "I thought we were out."

Chris nipped her ear lobe, sucking on it a second before saying, "I mean for a date Sonja, would you go out with me?"

"Chris, I'm standing her with you practically wrapped around me, letting you kiss me. I thought we were out." She answered again.

He pulled back and looked down at her surprised, "really? I thought this was a team thing..."

"You see the team with us right now?" She asked her head cocked.

They were still dancing. Giving into her logic chris just kissed her again. He was enjoying how she felt in his arms, that she responded so readily to his kisses.

Gregorio stood a smile on her face watching them maybe figure themselves out. She was a pretty good matchmaker. Sebastian stood there gaping at them completely shocked that they were making out on the dance floor.

"How did you know that would happen?" He asked Gregorio.

"I didn't for sure, but I was pretty confident. They have been hot for each other the whole time I have been around. Honestly I'm surprised they weren't already together. Like I said she is his perfect type and he's hers."

"Can you work your voodoo on me?" Sebastian asked looking scared.

"I'd have to see you with a woman or two to help with that." She told him honestly. "Chris was easy, for a while he had women around a lot. Come on let's head out, I doubt those two are coming up for air anytime soon."

Someone was dancing behind chris and Sonja wasn't going to allow that. She pulled back from their kiss, and leaned around him to see who it was. Some tall blonde bimbo. "Excuse me!" Sonja shouted at her, so she could hear her over the music. "We are kinda busy at the moment, find someone else."

"He wasn't so busy earlier." She threw back.

"That was earlier and this is now. Back off." Sonja snapped moving chris around her so he was behind her again and they were both facing the hanger on.

Chris not wanting Sonja to get in a fight added, "I would listen to her, she might be small but she can handle herself. Besides earlier we were having fun, it has moved past fun into maybe time to head home." Chris said the last almost a question leaning to the side to try and see her face.

Sonja turned and gave him a huge grin, "yeah, I think it is."

With a disgusted noise the bimbo walked away as chris kissed Sonja again. He took her hand and lead them out of the club, and over to his truck. He stopped at her door and turned her to face him. "I don't want to assume anything here. So you tell me where you want to go and we will head there."

"We have been partners for years chris, I already trust you..." she started and he kissed her.

"That's not what I'm asking here Sonja. If we go to my place I'm not sure if I will be able to keep my hands to myself, but I don't want to move too fast here." He clarified when he pulled back.

"Like I was saying, I already trust you, know you. I know it's fast but I'd like to go to your place." She said ducking her head a little, shyly.

Chris woke first the next day, he was spooned in behind her and at that realization he couldn't stop the huge grin that spread across his face. He nuzzled her neck leaving a trail of kisses from behind her ear down her neck and across her shoulder. He knew when she woke up because she stiffened at first but then relaxed into him. She tilted her head giving him better access to her neck inviting more. She shivered when his kisses turned to little nips of teeth. She arched her back which shifted her just enough that she could feel how happy he was to have her in his bed.

"Well aren't you happy this morning." She almost purred, no longer even miffed that he woke her up.

"I'm always happy to see you." He answered rolling her so that he could kiss her good morning.

Later after they eventually got out of bed she sat on his couch a mug of coffee in hand as she checked her phone. Chris snuggled in next to her was doing the same.

Laughing she asked, "how many text messages did Tammy send you? I've got like 10, ranging from are you coming home tonight to congratulations that I got this morning."

"Just the congratulations. Sebastian sent a few though, he wonders when us liking each other happened. He says Tammy said we were hot for each other the whole time she's been around."

He asked if she wanted to join him in the shower with a sly smile. "I don't have any clean clothes. But we could go back to the apartment and you could bring clothes." She suggested an answering smile on her face.

"It's not a shared shower is it?" He asked his nose slightly wrinkled.

"No we each have our own bathrooms."

They were kissing and touching as they showered when the door opened. "Tammy get out!" Sonja yelped.

"Why, I thought maybe you'd like to talk. I mean you guys weren't even dating and you spent the night."

"Later, I'm in the shower." Sonja answered, she was trying to keep her voice even as chris kept teasing her despite Gregorio being like three feet away and only separated by a shower curtain. He slid his fingers inside her and she let out a happy little moan.

"He's here? And you let me in the bathroom?" Gregorio said outraged.

"To be fair, you came in. Didn't even knock." Chris answered for Sonja as she was a little busy for talking.

With a disgusted noise she asked, "why not shower at your place?"

"She didn't have any clothes at my house, not that I would have minded keeping her that way, but she asked and I try to be good about making sure I give her what she asks for." Chris answered her. She slammed Sonja's bedroom door on her way out and Sonja grinned up at him. Their shower got ten times louder than it had been before.

They were Dried off and snuggling on the couch her in a tank and shorts and him just in jeans. Gregorio found them drifting off to sleep having not gotten much the night before. Smiling to herself she started emptying the dishwasher, banging and clanging everything possible. Sonja opened one eye glared at her then snuggled closer to chris. Chris kissed her head and wrapped his arms around her not bothering to acknowledge Gregorio at all.

Seeing that her banging wasn't working she stopped leaving it only partially done and went and joined them on the other part of their sectional. She flopped down making the whole thing rock and turned the tv on and cranked the volume.

"Knock it off, we go back in the bedroom we will be back to making noise. Is that what you want to have happen?" Sonja snapped at her not opening her eyes.

"I like that plan." Chris piped up.

Sonja whacked him, "I need a nap, first."

Grinning he answered, "yes ma'am."

"You two are gross. Yesterday you wouldn't talk about anything between you two and now your like rabbits, and just all open about sleeping together." Gregorio muttered. "And I'm not sure I like being your chaperone because he is most certainly the quarterback that sneaks off with the cheerleader and gets her pregnant."

"Hey now, despite the whole melody situation. I have never gotten anyone pregnant. Despite ducking plenty of chaperones to have sex." Chris answered grinning at her but still not opening his eyes.

"Shh, don't engage her. She will stop talking eventually. And besides I can tune her out and get to sleep before that happens."

"Hey!" Gregorio exclaimed at the same time chris asked, "but you can't tune me out?"

"I'd say the last nearly 24 hours shows that. Now shut up or I'm leaving you out here with her, and going to bed alone. If I have to do that i won't be very happy, you are a very good pillow."

Gregorio sat and talked at them for a while after that but true to her word Sonja drifted off after just a few minutes. Once he was sure she was asleep he leaned his head against the couch and closed his eyes instantly drifting off to sleep.

Gregorio actually talked for five minutes before realizing they were both asleep. She grabbed Sonja's phone a took a picture of them for her to find later.

The three of them watched a movie later and ordered pizza. When it was done chris asked if she was staying or going home with him. Being that tomorrow was Sunday and they wouldn't work unless something came up she grabbed a bag of her things and went with him.

Chris and Sonja were dating. Going out as often as they could together. Spending time in not just at his place but at her apartment too, hanging out with Gregorio and occasionally Sebastian.

A few months later they got a case in the quarter. Pride was surprised to see Gregorio and not Sonja. "Where is Sonja?" He asked her as she ducked under the crime scene tape.

"She has been spending time at her boyfriend's place. Chris is bringing her in."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I didn't know she was seeing anyone."

"Yeah, for a while now. I think they are pretty serious too. He dotes on her. And she is all big smiles and giggles."

"If they are that serious wouldn't she bring him around?" Pride asked more to himself than to her.

"Sonja's not good at admitting she has emotions or dealing with them. She might not be ready for that big of a step. meeting the team is like meeting her family. That's a huge step in a relationship."

Sonja and chris arrived not to long after getting out of the truck, laughing about something. Gregorio watched pride watch then and knew they wouldn't be able to hide much longer. She made a note to try and talk to one of them.

They tried to be more careful about showing up separately to crime scenes. Spending more time at her apartment in case they got called in. Sonja had stuff at his house and chris had stuff at her apartment in case either needed a quick change of clothes or a shower.

A few weeks later they had a case near Chris's house. "So are we going in together and basically telling pride that we are seeing each other or do you want to call Gregorio to stop and get you?"

Sonja sighed, "I'll call Gregorio. I know you hate hiding, but I don't want personal us to get us broken up as partners."

"We have been seeing each other for almost nearly a year, baby. we have shown we can still work professionally together." Chris said gathering her into his arms from behind nuzzling her neck.

She snorted, "we are supposed to be going to work, does snuggling me count as professional?"

"No proof that I stalled a moment to snuggle you. Besides anyone else in a relationship would at least hug and kiss their significant other goodbye before leaving. Just cause it's super early and I'd rather take you back to bed doesn't mean I'm not leaving."

Grinning she responded, "I think I'd like to hear more about this back to bed idea. But go on get out I have to call Tammy." Chris gave her one last kiss before heading out the door.

Gregorio pulled into Chris's drive surprised to see someone behind her as she drove on his sort of remote road this early in the day. Sonja ran out and jumped in a goofy grin plastered on her face, and her lipstick a mess.

"Hey send him a text to wipe his mouth, you are messy." Gregorio greeted her, her eyes lighting up when Sonja handed her a travel mug of coffee. She took a sip and moaned her thanks. Sonja quickly texted chris and fixed her lipstick as Gregorio drove them to the crime scene just a few roads away.

Pride walked up to chris asking what he's knew when he got to the scene giving him a weird look. Chris's phone went off before he could answer. Seeing the text he cringed inwardly, and replied that pride was already with him.

Chris told pride what he knew so far, not much as he had only been there a few minutes and the body was only found about half an hour ago. Everyone was still canvassing the area. Gregorio pulled up and she and Sonja got out chatting.

"Gregorio, I thought that was you I was behind earlier. Why did you stop at Chris's?" Pride asked confused. Pride notice chris and Sonja share a look both going slightly pale.

"that would be our fault." Chris answered gesturing between him and Sonja.

Pride just looked between them before saying, "and you wearing Sonja's lipstick explains that." Turning to Sonja he asked. "You have been seeing someone for a while. Gregorio said it was pretty serious?" Sonja just nodded and pointed at chris.

Sebastian walked up then and oblivious to the tension said, "good morning guys. Hey ah chris, you got something..." he gestured at his mouth.

Chris just half laughed and said, "yeah, I was just informed. Thanks though."

"We will continue this chat later in private. Everyone get to work." Pride said not telling them what he was thinking.

Chris was elated that they wouldn't have to hide anymore. Maybe he would ask Sonja to move in with him. Now that they didn't have to worry about pride finding out they were together coming in for cases together wouldn't matter.

They were close to thinking pride had forgotten that he wanted to talk with them by the time they had solved the case. But as they finished paperwork they noticed the smells coming out of the kitchen.

"Chris, Sonja, come in here please." Pride called from the kitchen. He brought out two containers and handed one each to Gregorio and Sebastian, before joining them in the kitchen. He smiled seeing them stand there awkwardly not knowing if they should stand together or not, or sit maybe. "Sit down guys." He said pointing at the table. He brought over their plates before going back for his and joining them at the table.

Chris and Sonja just sat nervously waiting for him to talk. Neither sure that eating sounded like a good idea. Pride watched them share a look and sighed.

"You guys aren't in trouble, I just wanted to talk with you." Pride said finally and smiled when chris shot her a happy grin and she smiled back at chris, just beaming. "So how long have you been seeing each other?" Pride asked wondering if he could keep them together.

"Almost a year." Chris answered, finally picking up his fork.

"A year? You guys are pretty good at working together and not letting your emotions get in the way. Actually seem to be better now that you are dating than before you were seeing each other."

They ate in silence for a little while before pride asked the one thing that was bugging him the most. "So how come you didn't just tell me?"

Chris looked down at his plate, but Sonja looked up surprised. She answered, "I thought you'd split us up at work. We are partners and I'd hate to lose that. I know he has my back and I've got his."

"You know, you probably are right. If I had known from the beginning I may have split you up for at least a little bit until I saw how you worked together after becoming a couple. And I'm not saying there won't come a time, if you stop working well together that I may change my mind but for now, I am not going to change a good thing." Pride answered honestly. "I need you two to be up front and honest not just with each other but the team too. If you need a break from one another speak up. It sounds to me like you are spending all of your off time together, and you are together all the time at work. That might get taxing, I don't want that stress effecting the team."

Chris sat back in his chair a small smile on his face. He put an arm on the back of her chair and she turned giving him a tentative smile. But to pride she asked, "you are really ok that we are dating?"

"As long as you guys are both happy and at work you can be professional then yes I'm ok with it. I'm happy that you seem to be so good together."

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you king." Chris told him.

"No, not at all. I understand completely why you did what you did. I guess I'm just shocked I missed it."

Sonja shrugged, "any time we were around you we acted like we were at work around each other."

Chris snorted, "yeah if you don't count the under the table hand holding or the stolen kisses in the hallway or back ally of the bar. And you are always trying to play footsie."

"Fine alright, mostly like it was work." She amended bumping him with her shoulder.


	6. Crash

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar. I mostly just wanted to get all my started stories out there. let me know if you want any continued. I wasn't sure if anyone was still reading to care for more.

Chris was driving as they chased a suspect. Nopd was helping, trying to box him in. He rammed the truck causing chris to loose control and they slammed into the side of a building. Chris woke up later being strapped down to a stretcher.

"Where is Sonja?" He asked but no one was answering him so he started unbuckling himself trying to get up and find her.

"Agent please you need to get to the hospital. you were in an accident!" One paramedic in a harassed tone said, frustrated with his non compliance.

"Where is Sonja?" He ask the man. "My wife, where is she?"

"Your wife isn't here agent." The paramedic answered carefully thinking chris wasn't remembering correctly.

"What? No, look I am married to my partner, where is she? Where is Sonja?" Chris demanded frantically trying to get up.

"Agent Percy was life flighted to the hospital already her injuries were much more severe. she needed emergency surgery."

"No!" Chris cried, "go, get me there! Hit the lights and sirens go go go." He demanded. "I don't care if it's not the closest hospital. you damn well better take me where ever they took Sonja."

Chris had a gash over his eye stitched up, and they cleaned glass out of a few cuts and let him go. He was fine. He paced the waiting room like a caged animal waiting to hear about Sonja while the rest of the team still searched the city for their suspect.

He didn't see pride walk in just as a doctor came out asking for Percy's family. "I'm her husband." Chris said going over to the man quickly.

Pride watched in surprise as chris walked away with the doctor after having let that lie roll off his tongue. Sonja lived with Gregorio. They couldn't be married. But what was up with the tension lately? Were they and they were separated?

In Sonja's room the doctor had chris sit down. "We were able to save your wife but not your baby." He started and chris looked up at him in surprise.

"We were...?" He asked looking gobsmacked.

"You didn't know? She was far enough along to have noticed something by now. A missed period, change in diet, sickness."

"She's vegan and that hasn't changed in years, our job is very high stress a missed period or two and sickness tends to come with the stress. Holding her hand and tears leaking from his eyes chris added, "that's going to kill her, that we didn't even know and now they are already gone." After a thought chris looked up at him and asked, "will we be able to try again? Well not that we tried this time but in the future would she still be able to?"

"I think that her reproductive capabilities won't be harmed. The sac came loose with the impact and we were not able to get it reattached without endangering the mother too. Her other injuries were not that severe, I want to hold her over night to check for excessive bleeding and to make sure she wakes up ok, but you should be able to take her home tomorrow. Both of you will need a follow up for stitch removal. Also hold off on the bedroom activities for a few weeks, she will be tender."

The doctor left him alone and not long after pride found the room she was in but he stood in the doorway as chris sobbed next to her. The doctor had told him Sonja was going to be fine so what had him so upset. Pride watched as Sonja woke up and asked him just that.

"I'm so sorry baby, if I had known I'd have made you take desk duty, and screw if the team knew. I want you to move back in with me please. I don't know what to do without you there. I probably blew our cover six ways to Sunday anyway. They wouldn't tell me where you were, and we had just been in a wreck. I'm so sorry baby, I didn't know. I would have told pride first before letting you out of the office if I had known." Chris babbled as he kissed her hand holding it to his heart like it hurt.

"Known what chris?" She said her tone freaked out by this display.

"We were... we were..." he started but he couldn't say it.

"Hey chris look at me. Deep breath, that's it now tell me. We were what?" She asked

"Pregnant, but they couldn't save the baby." Chris said his voice shutting down to a monotone to get it out.

"A baby?" She squeaked.

Pissed at them but understanding they needed time pride cleared his throat letting them know he was there. "I'll let the rest of the team know you guys will be ok, and keep them too busy to swing by for a day or two. Take your time grieve but when you come back we are going to have a talk."

They both nodded and pride walked away. Sonja moved over giving him room to get in bed with her wanting him to hold her not caring about their injuries.

Later the doctor came back and found them laying together just staring into space.

"Would you like to know more about your baby?" He asked them. They shared a look and nodded.

"You were just about three months along. It was a baby girl. It's not much but if you would like the closure of a funeral we could do that for you. You would have to name her though."

"Three months and I didn't know?" Sonja sobbed. Chris motioned for the doctor to go. They would talk in private and let him know what they decided.

They decided that despite not knowing about her that it would help them say goodbye so they were doing the funeral. Chris called in both of their families and told pride. He held Sonja as they walked to the tiny grave marker, not caring who was around them. They stood wrapped in each other's arms as a pastor did a reading. They both laid a rose down for their baby, kissed their fingers, and laid it on the marker before walking back to his truck.

The team watched them from the back shocked at how close they were, crying on each other. The head of the funeral march. Who was the person that was being buried they wondered waiting their turn to lay a flower. A shock wave went through the team seeing the name and dates. Angel Camellia Lasalle, both birth and death dates were four days ago.

They walked a second line at Sonja's insistence. That was normal for a funeral in New Orleans and they needed to get back to normal. Well at least mostly. She had been staying at their house again. Gregorio hadn't even known she was out of the hospital yet. But it was time to let everyone in on their secrets. Pride invited their families and the team down to his bar after the second line. He'd made them food to make it more like a wake than a bar.

Everyone turned to them when they came out of the back. Chris took a deep breath and started, "so some of you know more than others, bare with us a minute while we catch everyone up. Sonja and I have been married for about two years now." He paused at the uproar from the team. When they quieted down he continued. "Recently Gregorio got a new apartment and Sonja not knowing how to say know without straight up telling her about us agreed to move in and share the place." That cause an uproar from their families and again chris just waited, holding Sonja against his front, hunched over her his arms wrapped around her waist. "We didn't know we were pregnant until the doctor told me we had lost the baby. If we had known Sonja would not have been in the field. The doctor recommended a funeral as a way to maybe have closure. We decided to do just that. We also decided that we are done hiding from the team. Despite being her emergency contact I had to fight to see my own wife at the hospital, we aren't doing that again. Gregorio, I'm sorry but I'm taking my wife back, you'll have to find another roommate."

His mother stood and asked quietly, "are you going to try again?"

"We didn't try last time. Right now no. In the future it's not off the table." Chris answered hugging Sonja closer when she let out a sob. "Shh, baby it will be ok. We just held back too much. They are going to have questions. We can do this." Chris crooned in her ear.

Pride asked, "how long?"

"Almost since the first. But we have been married for two years now, be three in November."

"So I was right, and you two yelled at me? Saying eww about sleeping together." Gregorio asked.

Chris chuckled, "not going to lie that particular dig hurt a bit. But I promise eww was not on her mind when we got home after that case."

"Tmi Lasalle!" Gregorio said cringing.

"Oh get off it Tammy, you were the one to bring it up." Sonja snapped not in the mood to deal with anything right then.

Chris looked out at their family and friends and said, "I think that's my queue to get my wife home. Thank you all for coming and helping us celebrate our little girl."


	7. Life and death

A/N: ok sos this wasn't one I had been working on, though there are more of those. The idea grabbed me so I wrote a new one. As always I own nothing that is familiar.

Chris and Gregorio were out chasing down leads to the current case. They were walking through the quarter when something caught Chris's eye. He knew the person but could not remember why. then it hit him. This was a drug kingpin he had put away when he was still with nopd. Chris pulled out his phone pretending to sight see while checking on when the guy was released. He snapped a quick photo of him, to update the file. The kingpin noticed the attention that Chris was giving him and pulled a gun shooting chris.

Gregorio had been facing the other way. She whipped around at the gunshots. her weapon was out but the crowd was panicking and running. she couldn't find the shooter. She aimed her gun at the ground and looked around for chris having expected him to be doing exactly what she was. but he was on the ground in a growing puddle of his own blood.

"Chris!" She ran over, and checked for a pulse. when she found one she took a breath and called it in. Even though pride and Sebastian were at the office they weren't the first ones there. Plain clothes cops who had been in the crowd came over to help Gregorio get his wound packed with one of their shirts trying to stop the bleeding. another tried to keep gawkers back.

"What happened?" Pride asked as he and Sebastian ran over.

"I don't know. We were just looking for the witness. The shooter was behind me. When I turned all I could see was the crowd panicking. When I looked for chris he was on the ground, and bleeding. I thought he was dead..." she stopped talking hearing herself ramble.

"where is his phone?" Sebastian asked looking over chris as the emts rushed to get him back to their ambulance and then to the hospital.

"What does it matter?" Asked one of the plain clothes cops.

"He might have seen something and taken a picture. Or have been doing any number of other useful things with it when he was shot." Sebastian answered as he started to look around.

Pride gave him a look, pulled out his own phone, and called Chris's number. It was ringing from a planter behind where he had fallen. "It's over there." Pride answered and Sebastian ran to get it. "Gregorio stay with Chris until we figure out what is happening. Sebastian get that back to Patton and figure out if it has anything useful."

At the hospital Chris was sent to surgery to remove the bullet and repair the his heart. Gregorio was allowed to stay in the viewing area of the operating room. While she waited Pride sent her a picture chris had taken and what he had been looking up on his phone. letting her know who had shot Chris and why.

He coded twice during surgery and she was biting her nails when they finally started to close him up. She had an idea and left the room to get a nurse to stop them from taking him out yet. Back in the viewing area she called pride.

"I have an idea. What if chris didn't make it? I mean because of the company that would be big news and this guy would feel safe?"

"He did make it though, right?" Pride asked.

"It was close but so far so good. They are closing him back up."

"Ok see if they can't keep him as a John Doe shooting victim, and mark down that Chris died in surgery. I have to call his mother but then we can make a statement."

Gregorio ran out to the nurse and once they were done closing chris up they let her into the operating room so she could explain her plan. They were agreeable and made the arrangements to get a fake body rushed in and moved out to the morgue. then after a while take chris to a private room. Once he was out of the woods they would transfer him to a private safe house with a nurse.

Sonja was overseas on assignment, and when she got home two weeks after the shooting the first thing she did was fall into bed. When she finally woke up the next morning she flipped on the tv while she was making herself something to eat. She was just carrying her plate to the table when Chris's face filled the screen and the anchor said. "There is still no leads in the shooting death of oil tycoon Christopher LaSalle. He was working his day job as a naval criminal investigator when he was shot."

She dropped her plate, her body going slack, and she slid to the floor along the wall. "Chris?" She said softly, tears streaming down her face.

There was a knock at her door and she couldn't do anything about it. She was in shock. Eventually the knocking turned to pounding and someone yelling that they knew she was here they could hear the tv. Finally her door opened and her handler came flying inside her gun out looking for danger.

"Sonja? Hey are you hurt? Was someone here?"

"Chris." Was all Sonja could say her gaze unfocused sobbing silently.

"Chris? Someone was here? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"He's dead." She said her voice breaking on a sob.

Figuring out that Sonja wasn't in danger she put her gun away and went back to close the door. She came back and crouched in front of Sonja. "Who's chris and why do you think he is dead?"

Sonja pointed at the tv shaking her head, "he can't be dead."

Her handler looked at the tv and seeing the news she guessed, "the ncis agent that died? Oh god your last partner was chris wasn't it? Shit your partner was Christopher LaSalle the oil guy?"

"His dad was the oil tycoon. Left him the company even after chris told him he didn't want it and without warning Chris he was sick and dying." Sonja said stiffly. "Why didn't they call me?"

"You were undercover until last night." Her handler answered thinking that was logical.

"You don't know them." She popped off the ground. "I have to get to New Orleans. Or would they bury him at home?" She shook her head. "New Orleans was home to chris but his momma might want him close. Hell they might have a family plot somewhere. I'll go to New Orleans first at least they know me. If he's buried in Alabama I'll have someone give me directions and hopefully I won't have to meet his mom over his..." She trailed off not able to say grave in context with Chris. "Oh god..." she clutched her stomach and took off to the bathroom and losing the meager contents of her stomach as she hadn't eaten.

"Sonja are you ok?"

"Peachy." She grumbled between bouts.

She sat with her back to the tile wall her head on her arms that where laying on her knees. "Can you find me a flight today? I don't think I can move but I need to shower and pack."

"Let's get you on the bed. you look for flights while I show you options and pack. When you have eaten some toast and won't be light headed then you can shower."

"Thanks, Angie." Sonja said grateful for the help.

They spent about 15 minutes doing that before Sonja was back in the bathroom.

"You are going to be in no shape to go any where much less fly half way across the country." Angie said from the doorway.

"I have to go. Chris... he..." She trailed off sobbing.

There was a knock on her door and Angie went to answer it.

"She is indisposed at the moment."

"I have to do the reading in person and I have to get back to Alabama to handle the rest of the estate. She could have just come to the reading of the will."

"No she couldn't she was out of the country on assignment and didn't even know he was dead until she saw the news this morning."

"Stop yelling in the hall. just bring her back here." Sonja said moving to sit against the wall, her forehead on her arms that were crossed over her knees. When she could see the lawyer and confirm her suspicions Sonja just said, "Rebecca."

"Ms. Percy, the reading of the will was last week. As a named party you should have been in attendance."

"I got home last night from an assignment. I was out of the country under cover. I had no idea until I saw the news talking about no leads. He's really dead?" She said all of that into her arms lifting her head to She Rebecca's reaction to the last question.

"The hospital declared him dead while they were doing surgery, to try and save him. The bullet nicked his heart. No funeral has been held yet..."

"What? Why?"

With a sad smile Rebecca pulled out a pile of papers and started reading the will.

"He wants me to plan it? And now I am Cade's power of attorney? How am I going to pay for his care? I'm a federal agent not a billionaire like Chris's family."

"Let me continue." Rebecca went on.

When she finally stopped Sonja was so shocked she could barely breathe. "He left me two houses? And the company has to pay for upkeep and cases care for as long as Cade and I live?"

"That's only if chris didn't have any kids. So far none have come out of the wood work." At Sonja's face she added, "Don't worry he had us include that they have to prove with dna that they are his child. He said after Melody that he didn't want to go through that again."

"Where is he? I'd like to yell at him. I'm not even family. why would he want me to take care of Cade?"

"He didn't explain his reasons to me, actually he refused to because I asked the same thing. They still haven't released his body. I'd guess they are looking for clues about who shot him."

"It's been what two weeks? They should have released the body by now." She stopped and thought for a moment. "Can you do me a favor? Cade is still in that hospital right? Please make sure his bills are paid in full so that I don't have to worry he is going to be kicked out while I head to New Orleans to figure out what is going on. I will head to Alabama next to check in on him."

"Though technically I'm the company's lawyer and not yours I will because you are right chris would want to be sure Cade was taken care of first." She paused an then added, "I saw the plate on the floor. If you don't mind my saying. If your are feeling this bad you might want to go see your doctor, they have pills that might help with the morning sickness."

"What?" Sonja asked her head snapping up to look at Rebecca.

Frowning Rebecca said, "I saw the broken plate. Like you dropped it on the way to throw up. If the morning sickness is so bad you can't eat you should go see your doctor."

Sonja shook her head. "I dropped it when I heard about Chris. I don't know what's causing the puking but I really don't think that I'm pregnant. It's been almost three months since I slept with anyone." A sob cut of the rest of her explanation.

"Chris? You slept with him before you left to work here? You could be pregnant, so he could really have an heir?" Rebecca wasn't seeing Sonja dying inside thinking about raising a kid without chris by her side. "I'm going to get you a test. I'll be right back. If you are then we will get you in to see a doctor today."

Angie seeing Sonja's distress said. "It's Sunday how are you going to get her into see a doctor at all? Much less a competent one?

"She slept with Chris. If she is pregnant that baby is a billionaire. Money talks." Rebecca said as she nearly ran down to the door.

"I don't think I can be pregnant. We only had one night together. Three months ago. Wouldn't I have noticed a symptom by now? I know women raise kids on their own all the time, but I don't think I could without Chris."

Back in New Orleans chris was considered out of the woods and moved to a safe house with nurse care. Once there they wheened him off the drugs that were keeping him asleep. It had been so that he couldn't wake up in public and declare himself alive. They had also wrapped his face to look like a second wound site and cover his face if anyone looked in on the John Doe. That also explained why he didn't wake up, a knock on the head.

Gregorio was there with him when he woke up. Chris frowned at her his mouth too dry to talk. She offered him a cup and straw and explained what happened while he sipped. Making sure to explain that they had warned his mother, that hearing the news wouldn't give her a heart attack.

"Sonja?"

Gregorio tilted her head and said, "you were shot not hit on the head. You know Sonja left the team months ago right?"

"Did you warn her?" Chris elaborated trying to explain he wasn't asking why she wasn't here.

"No..."

"Get me a phone." Chris rasped.

"What?"

"Phone." Chris repeated. Lifting his right arm and pushing the cup away. He found the controls and started tilting himself into a sitting position.

"Why?"

"To make a call, that's what they are used for."

"But why do you need a phone?"

Chris stopped answering her and just glared until she set the water down and backed out of the room shutting the door behind her.

In the hallway Gregorio opened the secure link to the office. "Hey Pride chris is awake. He is demanding a phone."

"Why?"

"He won't say, but I'd guess to call Sonja. I explained that we warned his mother and he asked if we warned Sonja too when I said no he started demanding a phone. When I asked why he just said to make a call that's what they are used for and glared at me until I left the room."

"The fbi isn't on this case, and even if they were her division wouldn't be. Why would she need warned?"

"I doubt he will answer that. But you know how weirdly close those two were. I don't think she has called him since she left."

"Let him know that no phones are allowed at the safe house and without telling the whole fbi chris is alive we don't have a way to tell her and that could risk the case."

Gregorio explained that to Chris and after checking with the three nurses that would be staying at the safe house with him she left to get back to the office.

Almost two weeks later Pride was at headquarters alone in the squad room, Patton was the only other one there, and he was in his office. Gregorio and Sebastian were out running survalance. Pride heard yelling at the door and went to check it out. Sonja was yelling at Roy to let her in.

"It's ok, Roy."

Inside Sonja exploded at him, "why didn't you tell me? I had to hear it on the news! Then his freaking lawyer showed up bitching that I missed the reading of the will while I was on assignment. You know that I now own two houses and have power of attorney for Cade? Why the hell would chris do that? How could you have let him get killed?"

Her knees gave out and pride had to scramble to catch her as she fell. only when her tears leaked through his shirt did he know she was crying. Before he could ask her anything she ran out of his hold to the bathroom, and started puking not even bothering to close the door behind herself.

"Sonja?" He asked confused.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. When I get too stressed I puke. The doctor said it was normal."

"How is puking normal?" Pride asked her confused.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked not answering his question. "Two weeks after it happened I hear about it on the news. Though I guess if I hadn't heard the news his lawyer showing up about half an hour later would have told me too. But why wasn't it you, or Tammy, hell even Patton, Loretta, or Sebastian?"

Pride seeing she was at least done for now pulled her into the sciff and connected to the safe house. He was sitting there reading a book. "Chris!" She breathed and nearly collapsed again, pride reached out a hand and grabbed her elbow giving her a worried look.

He looked up, looking around, then over to the monitor showing headquarters. He smiled and said, "Hey city mouse, they finally found you!"

Sonja looked around frantically knowing with the video feed the door wouldn't open for her to get to the bathroom. She spotted a trash can and dove out of prides grip at it.

"What..." chris started then when he heard the noise he asked Pride. "Why is She puking?"

"She said the doctor said it was normal when her stress level was high. Though I have no idea why that would be normal. This is the second time since she showed up that it has happened though."

"Sonja did you contract something while on a case?" Chris asked concerned. "You aren't dying are you? Why is puking when stressed normal? Wait you said she showed up? You didn't tell her I wasn't dead?"

"I told you we couldn't get to her without telling the whole fbi and that would defeat the purpose of faking your death chris."

"Didn't contract anything on a case, this happened before I left here, not dying though I really thought I might be earlier today. So if you aren't dead I don't control everything pending a test?" She asked coming back to stand by pride. chris gave her confused look before his face changed to shock then he beamed.

"That's why puking is normal?" He asked softly and she just nodded crying.

Chris let out a whop and punched the air. "Shit." He hissed, having used the arm he was just now allowed to use again. He gripped his shoulder and grimaced. With his teeth gritted he looked straight at Pride. "I don't care what you have to do but Sonja will be here before this evening or so help me I am hitchhiking there."

"You need to talk to Rebecca, she already did the reading of the will." Sonja said to him softly.

Chris looked over at her his face softening. "And she's right you need to bring my lawyer in there so I can talk with her." He paused and said to Sonja again, "Hey city mouse. You know I meant what I said right?"

She shook her head silent tears streaming down her face. Pride had to catch her again. And Chris growled, "she needs to be here sooner rather than later."

"Why would you give control of your company to Sonja?" Pride asked remembering something Sonja had asked Chris.

"Well not so much Sonja per-say, she would just watch it like a trust for a few years." Chris said, "but we need to have a face to face conversation, today. So I don't care what has to be done get her here or I will walk right out this door."

Pride frowned at Sonja in his arms and then at chris on the screen and asked, "why did her saying about the puking being normal after she talked about what you left her make you happy, enough that you hurt yourself again?"

"Pride, we can talk tomorrow. Right now Sonja and I need to talk, and I need you to get her here and my lawyer in there as soon as possible. Hey city mouse how do you feel?" His face changed to anxious asking that question.

"I was primarily scared, now I don't know anymore, numb mostly right now." She answered, then shook her head, "no shocked is a better word. We will talk country mouse." He frowned not liking the negative emotions but nodded. "Relax chris. Trust me I can breath now. Ask Rebecca about my panic attack, it wasn't good. It took them both half the morning to calm me down enough for me to get on a plane."

"You sure you are ok?" He asked looking worried.

"Yeah, Rebecca got me into see the top specialist this morning in dc. He said everything looked great." She smiled for the first time since she got there and pride saw a tear leak down Chris's face.

"I'll figure something out. Sit tight for now. You saw Rebecca this morning?" Pride said the first to chris then turned to Sonja.

"She was actually afraid to let me fly alone, and since in her mind I now own Chris's house we were just going to stay there. She dropped me here and headed over there to do some work. She has to update the recipients of the will."

"Good then she isn't too far, call her and get her over here again. And then you can lay down and get some rest you look beat."

"Yeah I just got home from my first case last night and first thing this morning the news told me chris was dead."

Pride disconnected from the safe house and let them both out. Gregorio and Sebastian were waiting for pride in the courtyard and both ran over to hug Sonja.

"I'm mad at you." She told them both. "All that brain power and you couldn't figure out how to let me know chris was not dead? I had to hear on the news this morning he's been dead for two weeks and then get here to yell at pride and find out he's really not dead."

Gregorio blushed and Sonja gave her a questioning look. "He was pissed when he woke up and we hadn't told you. Demanded a phone for days until pride threatened to put him back to sleep, they kept him in a drugged sleep until he could be moved out of the hospital."

"Yeah he's pretty pissed I wasn't told." Sonja agreed.

"Yeah, you are both pissed, sorry for trying to keep him alive. Call the lawyer." Pride snapped pissed about whatever was going on that they weren't telling him.

Sonja kept her mouth shut, she had already taken out enough emotions on him today. She pulled out her phone and called Rebecca. "Hey can you come back up here? Park and come in pride wants to talk to you." She listened for a second and said, "yes that's the new boss talking." She finally answered rolling her eyes.

"New boss?" Tammy asked when Sonja hung up.

"Let me sit some place and I'll explain." Sonja said.

"Go lay on my couch." Pride yelled from the kitchen. "And Tammy she needs to rest so make it fast."

Sonja stomped up the stairs Gregorio following her on prides orders. Which made her give the man an odd look until Sonja rolled her eyes at him.

"So spill." Tammy said the minute they were both sitting.

"Ok so I got home last night from my first case. I was under cover over seas. When I woke up this morning I turned on the tv and heard about Chris being dead. My handler showed up and then so did the lawyer. She was snotty about me not being at the officially reading of the will and making her come all the way to dc. My handler shut her down because I was still freaking out that chris was really dead. Chris left me as interim ceo and basically everything. So until she talks to chris I am the new boss. And I collapsed a few times and puked a couple times so Pride is freaking out about my health."

"He left you everything?" Tammy asked shocked, "you were sleeping together!" She hissed keeping her voice low.

"Not then." Sonja said blushing.

"Wait did something happen? You broke up and that's why you left?"

"No the last week I was here after I quit we spent a lot of time together. The night before I left was the only..."

"Wait interim huh? And who takes over after that time?"

"I can't say. Only Rebecca and Angie have confirmation because they were both there with me. I vaguely told Chris but I want to actually tell him, and talk about it with him before we tell anyone."

"How are you feeling?"

"I was perfectly fine until I heard about Chris they I was puking and collapsing. The doctor said that was normal with my stress level but that I needed to bring it down very soon."

Tammy gave her a happy little hug and jumped up, "ok. lay down like you were ordered. I'll bring you up some of water and let you know when Rebecca is here so you can take her into the sciff." Sonja did as she was told her eyes closing as soon as her head was on the pillow.

Rebecca got there and they fed her before going up and waking up Sonja. They all wanted her to rest after the day she had had. Even Rebecca agreed when they told her that Sonja was sleeping.

"I was really worried about her with everything that happened today." Rebecca told them as they gave her a bowl of the gumbo pride had made. "This looks delicious."

"So what all happened today? Sonja mentioned that you got her into a doctor." Pride tried.

"Nice try but I'm a lawyer you are going to have to be way better than that to get me to spill about a client."

"Yeah but aren't you the company's lawyer not Sonja's?" Sebastian asked.

This time Rebecca just smiled and shook her head so Pride answered him, "no chris left her the company."

"Why?" Sebastian asked surprised. "I mean it's a family business and Sonja doesn't know anything about the oil business."

Prides head whipped to Rebecca, "that it isn't it. She pregnant and Chris is the father? The picking and the doctor and pending a test."

Rebecca stood and filled another bowl and left to find Sonja completely ignoring what they had to say.

"Hey Wait Sonja's vegan, she won't eat that." Tammy called after her, but Rebecca just kept walking. Tammy shrugged figuring that Sonja could eat the vegetarian meal Pride had made her when they came down, if she was feeling up to it.

Rebecca knocked lightly and walked into the room they told her she could find Sonja in. Sonja was yawning and stretching when Rebecca came in offering the bowl.

"That smells amazing! Pride cooked huh?" She asked before diving in despite the visible chunks of meat.

"They yelled out that you were vegan as I got to the top of the stairs." Rebecca said watching her eat like she hadn't in days.

"I was when I lived here. Since I have been in dc I have been craving it most days." Sonja answered between mouthfuls.

"You want to slow down? You haven't been able to keep anything down all day."

"I'll be ok." Sonja answered as she scrapped the bottom of the bowl. She set the bowl aside and stood up. She felt bad about leaving the dish but she didn't want the team to badger her about it right now. "Let's head down I need to show you something I think you will like more than you did taking me to the doctor this morning."

Sonja walked her down the back stairs straight into the courtyard and into the sciff. She shut the door behind them and sealed them in making Rebecca raise an imperial eyebrow. Sonja just waived a hand at her to be patient.

She connected them to the safe house and Chris was there pacing. He heard the system click on and turned to the tv. "Hey city mouse you look a little better. How come you aren't on your way here?"

"We thought it was better if I brought Rebecca in alone to yell at you because you know client confidentiality and all that." Sonja answered. "When we are done here I'll make sure pride makes it happen, even if I have to puke on him. Which was a close thing twice earlier."

"No more puking since we talked?" He asked her worried.

"No, I have felt so much better. I just finished a bowl of prides gumbo. Might go sneak seconds it was so good."

"Gumbo? But you don't eat meat?" He asked confused.

"I have been since I left for dc. Apparently our peanut is going to take after daddy." And that made chris beam.

"I like the sound of that word." He said softly. "How about you little Momma?"

"So much, more so now that I know he is alive and I won't be raising the next oil tycoon on my own knowing nothing about oil."

Rebecca broke in and said, "you were right, I like this way more than taking you to the doctor. But it means way more work for me. I got your death certificate. And I'm disappointed in you, Sonja had a day from hell because of you. That doctor I took her to almost had her admitted because of it. You go and knock up someone and pretend to die and not even tell them?"

"To be fair she was the first question out of my mouth when they let me out of the drugged sleep they had me in when they decided it was a good idea to fake my death. And even though I asked about it repeatedly they didn't find her and tell her. If they don't try to get her to me tonight I want you to find something to threaten to sue them with. Threaten don't actually do it."

Rebecca nodded and said, "so for right now I will tell everyone that their is going to be a... seven month hold on the will because a potential heir has been brought to light and that will change everyone's inheritance."

"Crap." Chris muttered. "Hey city mouse, you are gonna need to go meet my momma and tell her since I can't. Before you come to me. Because she needs to know before Rebecca says anything. She knows I'm not dead and a sudden baby when I wasn't seeing anyone is going to freak her out."

"Fine, but I'm letting you go alone to tell my mom then." She said, "i think I'm going to get the better end of that deal no matter what your mom might do."

"Ok, but then tell her that I want to give you grandmas too while you are there. I should have done it before you left but I thought it was too soon."

"Grandmas what?" Sonja Asked suspiciously.

"Ring. If you don't like it we can buy you whatever you like when I'm out of here." She gaped at him shocked. Rebecca was too but she pulled out of it faster and grabbed a chair for Sonja to collapse into. Sonja sat down hard her eyes never leaving his. "I'm so sorry I'm not there with you. So I could hold you while you processed. Sonja I have loved you for years and I am so sorry I never pushed for us until you were leaving. We can move to dc, I can run the company from out of state I proved that working in nola."

"You would leave ncis and pride, for me?" Sonja wasn't sure she could be more shocked.

"Anything for you." He told her. "Rebecca, no prenup. And make sure she has whatever she needs."

Rebecca gaped, "no...? But you..."

Chris frowned at her, having never heard her at a loss for words. "Is she breathing? Don't want her passing out on you." After a thought chris asked Sonja who had checked on Rebecca and nodded yes she was breathing. "How much did you pack for your trip here?"

"A few jeans some comfortable shirts and a dress to wear to..." she broke off not able to say your funeral.

"Hey, hey it's ok. I'm alive and kicking. Right here waiting for you. You might want a few more things than that. I have been here most of two weeks and I don't think they are very far into catching the guy that shot me. Not that they are telling me anything. You know not like I caught the guy before or anything."

"I never asked, what happened?" Sonja asked.

"Gregorio and I were in the quarter looking for a witness when I spotted someone I had put away in my nopd days. He shouldn't have been out of jail so I was looking up when he was released and snapped a photo of him when he noticed me. He shot me and ran with the scared crowd. Gregorio had been facing the opposite way so she never even saw him."

"Remind me to tell her she needs to work on keeping you in her periphery. She should have noticed the change in what you were doing. Not that she could have probably stopped you from getting shot but she might have been able to also see the shooter and get to you faster. I need to be able to trust her with your live and I thought I could."

"Don't be too hard on her, she is probably being hard on herself already."

"So I had wanted to tell you in person about the baby before we said anything to anyone else but you know and Pride guessed as I walked in her and I sorta told Tammy but not using the actual words."

"How do you feel about having a baby with me?" He asked really wanting to have this conversation in person.

"Now that you are alive, there are no words chris. I was terrified to do this without you. You seemed pretty excited for the news when I told you without saying it to pride."

"I love you Sonja, and I have always wanted kids... And I just realized I didn't ask you, just told you to get the ring from mom. Sonja, my city mouse, would you marry me? I was debating quitting and following you to dc just so I could be close to you again even if you didn't want to be with me. To be with you I'd quit in a heart beat, you name it and I'll go where ever you want me to. You make me feel complete, and I hope I do the same for you." Sonja was crying and he added, "I'm so sorry I can't do this in person, I wish I could be holding you right now."

Sonja was nodding not able to talk through her tears. When they slowed she said, "you don't need to quit. I can't go undercover and worry about you and the baby the whole time, not after what happened today."

"But you love that work?"

"Not as much as I love you, I'm not alone anymore chris. I don't think I could still do it, even on this last case it was hard to not worry about you back here."

"Ok, we have a lot to do and a short time to do it in. Chris the company jet is here right? So we can just pop over and see your mom. Then I need to get Sonja some more clothes and your team needs to get her to you. Sonja I'll need sizes and what types of clothes you want. The clothes should be here ready and waiting when we get back from alabama." Rebecca said coming out of her no prenup shock.

"She needs comfy bum around the house clothes, we aren't allowed to go out." Chris said.

"Yeah but you don't want it to seem like just that if you are having it delivered here." Sonja said, "don't want them to think I'm going to be on house arrest. I'll write up a list."

"Double it, Sonja will be conservative, like one pair of sweatpants, that won't be enough. She's not used to the kind of money you are going to throw at this so don't let her see any of it just get the clothes there. And I don't know much about pregnancy so maybe get her a couple sweats in a size up too. Are you far enough along to be showing?" He asked Sonja that last.

Rebecca just nodded. And Sonja said, "not yet, and I don't know when that will change so probably not a bad idea. Ok let's get going I'd like to see my fiancé tonight. And convince myself he really isn't dead. Love you country mouse."

"Love you too city mouse." He said and ended to connection.

The team was waiting in the courtyard for them. Pride started, "we have a plan to get you to chris." He stopped when held up a hand.

"I have to go to Alabama first. I'll be there and back in hopefully almost no time. The corporate jet is here. By the time I get back I'm told I will have a wardrobe waiting for me, and I'm not allowed to even think about what that might cost, from which I can pack to go to the safe house the rest can be sent to Chris's house. Then we can do whatever you think is best as long as it gets me there tonight."

"Taking the company jet could make you a target. I have a buddy that has a small private plane that could get you there and back faster because he can right on the ranch." Sebastian said making everyone look at him with a mix of shock and pride, he blushed.

Sonja just smiled and teasingly said, "make it so number one."

With an odd look at Sonja for her comment Rebecca added, "all costs will be covered and he will be compensated for his time." She turned to Sonja and said, "I will have to get some funds transferred to your account. He was right we don't want any of this to seem like the company is paying for any of it. I hope you brought you check book. And based on my orders I'm going to have to tell you to at no time check your balance. In fact I'd like your phone, your check book, and your debit card. I'll have you sign a check as needed and then I'll write it out. But at no point are you allowed to see the amounts."

"I'll get them back right?" She asked giving her a skeptical look.

"When it is decided you can handle the sticker shock. What kind of car do you drive? I'm sure you'll want to be in something safe."

"I don't. Not that I can't, but I live in a city I can walk everywhere or take public transportation."

Sebastian came back and told them where to meet his friend and offered to drive them.

"Thank you, my rental was paid for with a company card." Rebecca said accepting for them.

On the drive Rebecca kept asking questions, "do you plan to stay in dc?"

"Probably not."

"Ok, no house there then. Moving back here?"

"Probably."

"Ok I'll have your apartment packed up and shipped to your house. Would you like a letter of resignation drafted?"

With a sigh Sonja simply said, "yeah."

"Would you like your house to have a security and safety review?"

"Yeah, but don't make any changes until I have had a chance to review the options."

They were quite on the plane, mostly because the noise of the engine and wanting to keep the radio chatter to a minimum. That gave Sonja time to think about what she was about to do and as they got closer and closer she got paler and paler. Rebecca gripped her hands trying to get her out of her own head. When Sonja was focused on her she said, "it will be ok. His mom is a big old sweetheart, and you are carrying her grand baby."

They landed in a mostly empty pasture, scaring the poor horse. A couple hands came running to see what was wrong and Rebecca just told them they were her to see the lady of the house. Their pilot stayed with the plane, checking it over so they could make the return flight as soon as they were done. One of the stable hands stayed to watch him another to calm the horse and a third walked with them to the house. There was an older lady halfway across the drive by the time they got out of the field. She was holding a shot gun and Sonja gave Rebecca a look saying yeah sweat little old lady my ass.

"Sorry for the unannounced arrival and use of your pasture mrs. Lasalle I assure you it was required." Rebecca said as soon as they were close enough to not need to shout. She had aimed the shot gun at the ground as soon as she recognized Rebecca. "Let go inside and I will explain."

Once alone inside Rebecca said, "I know chris had a safe room installed here, this is a sensitive topic and best discussed there."

His mother was now watching them both warily, and obviously curious about who Sonja was. But she led them to a bedrooms walk in closet and pulled a panel out of the wall and placed her palm on it. The back wall of the closet slid aside and revealed a bedroom similar in size to the one they had just walked through. When they were inside she hit a button and the wall slid closed again.

"Ok Rebecca tell me who this is and what is going on now." She ordered, Sonja was watching the shot gun because she had not set it down yet.

"I met with Chris today via a secure connection at his office."

"How is he? Recovering well?" She broke open the gun and set it on a table near the part of the wall that opens and went to sit on the edge of the bed.

"He was up and pacing when we spoke. His color was normal, and he was moving fine." Rebecca reported.

Sonja added, "he hurt his shoulder again earlier though. I don't know how badly, but he has nurses there with him so I don't think it's anything serious."

"And who are you dear?" His mom asked her.

"Sonja Percy..."

"The Sonja?" His mom cut her off and making Sonja frown.

"I'd say yes, based on why we are here." Rebecca answered for her. Then looked at Sonja to tell her.

"Chris didn't want you to hear from someone else and since he can't come himself he sent me to tell you. I... um... we..." She shook her head and started at the beginning telling her about her whole day.

When she didn't mention it Rebecca added, "chris asked that you give her his grandmothers ring. He's a little upset that he didn't get to ask her in person, but he did ask her to marry him."

"I can't put the ring on until I'm at the safe house anyway, I'll make him do it again." Sonja said with a small smile.

Giving her a grin Rebecca added, "since I have to update those named in the will about the heir Chris wanted you to know first. And now that I know he isn't dead it gives me a good reason to not distribute the estate. Good thing you missed the official reading."

His mom was sitting their processing a few tears running down her face as the two of them talked. Then she suddenly popped up off the bed and enveloped Sonja in a huge hug.

"I know my baby loves you. Do you love him too?" Sonja just nodded trying to hold back her own tears, and failing. "And how do you feel about the baby?"

"Honestly, a whole jumble of scared, happy, excited, nervous, and just relived that chris isn't dead. When I found out this morning before I knew that I was just terrified."

"And chris?"

Sonja smiled, "His first reaction was to jump up and punch the air as he let out a whop. That is how he hurt his shoulder again earlier. He's worried about me and my thoughts on the baby but without being there with him. able to touch him, to tell myself he is really still alive. I don't think I can convey to him I'm really ok."

"Well then welcome to the family baby girl. Let's get you that ring and back to your plane so my baby can have you with him. I'm sure he wants to say hello to his baby." That made Sonja blush.

By the time they got back to the plane the horse had been moved so that they could take off without scaring it further. At the plane his mom hugged her again and said "take care of my grand baby, come visit any time." Tears we're leaving out of both of their eyes as Sonja got in the plane and waved goodbye.

Sebastian was waiting for them at the airfield and he drove them to a house they often used for visiting agents, racks of clothes were waiting on Sonja. "Pride forwarded everything here when he saw what they were trying to bring inside. There is a full set of luggage in here somewhere too. Pack what you need for at least a week, there is laundry facilities there so you can wash whatever you take. There is an indoor pool and hot tub too."

Sonja packed one of the smaller bags mostly with comfy clothes but she found a few more intimate items that she packed with a small smile. She found a swim suit too. Once she had the clothes packed she gathered the toiletries that Rebecca had sent over as well and packed what she would need.

Once she was ready Sebastian drove her to a grocery store. In side he walked them to an employee entrance and changed into a delivery uniform. He snuck her into the truck and after signing that he was taking the delivery drove to the safe house.

The safe house turned out to be a converted warehouse and Sebastian pulled his box truck right inside the ground floor. He waited for the door to close completely before he let her out of the truck.

"This floor is the pool, hot tub, and gym, next floor is the living area. Chris should be up there. Though he is alerted when the door opens so he might be on his way down." As Sebastian finished speaking an elevator opened and chris rushed out grabbing her in a huge hug.

he pulled back enough to kiss her until they both needed to breath. He eased back and leaned his forehead against hers. "I missed you." He told her as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. He sighed and added, "let me help Sebastian so we can go upstairs and get caught up. Oh and if you are hungry I had them send the rest of the gumbo."

The three of them unpacked the groceries quickly and once that was done Sebastian took off in the truck.

"Would you like to share my room?" He asked, looking unsure.

She smiled and grabbed her bag saying, "lead the way."

Chris kissed her cheek and took her hand before heading down the hall. As he walked he told her, "the nurses share the suite on the other side of the living space. I had this one all to myself even thought there are several rooms. I moved the link to the office into one of the other rooms instead of the main sitting room wouldn't want to have them hearing anything that might be said. Not until we are ready to share anything."

"Which one is ours?" She asked him with a smile. "Well and which one has the link?"

"Over there is the link". He pointed to the second door way on the right.

"Straight ahead is this suite's sitting area. Beyond that is our master suite. It had his and hers walk in closets that between them is a fully stocked safe room. Third floor houses the protection detail and the security hub." At her frown he smiled and said, "no cameras or audio devises in personal spaces, I had to fight for that. But all of the public space is covered."

Chris closed and lock the door behind them before picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He laid down with her just holding her. He could feel her tears through his shirt. "Shh, I've got you now." He held for a long time running his hands soothingly over as much of her as he could reach.

Slowly her tears dried up and she lay quietly in his arms. "I'm so sorry you went through what you did today. I tried to get them to contact you. And I hate that you were alone and thinking I was dead when you found out about our baby. I would have loved to have been there with you."

"It wasn't your fault. The only communication you have here is with the team. They on the other hand I was pissed at. but I'm here now with you, and I don't care about what they didn't do because you are alive. I don't have to raise our baby alone, because you are alive. I thought you being dead was bad enough before Rebecca showed up and basically forced me to take a pregnancy test. I didn't even know..." she broke off with a sob.

"Shh, come on now Sonja. It will be ok. We know about our little peanut now, and we are here together. I'm not letting you go again, you want to move someplace I'm picking up and moving with you."

Sonja wiggled pulling at her bra strap trying to get the underwire to stop digging into her side. "Let me up to change so I can get my damn bra off?" She asked

Chris grinned and kissed her his hands roaming under her shirt and unfastening the offending garment. He then pulled both the shirt and the bra off over her head. He noticed her hand then and instead of continuing what he had planed he said, "you didn't get the ring?" His whole face looked heartbroken.

Sonja rescued one of her hands from the shirt and bra and pulled out a ring box from her jeans pocket. "Your mom said it doesn't count until you have the ring when you ask." She said handing the box to him.

Instantly his face brightened. He nearly jumped off the bed and knelt next to it. "Sonja Percy, my city mouse. I love you more than words can describe. Would you complete me?"

"Yes," she whispered nodding tears again streaming down her face.

Chris slid the ring on her finger then practically pounced on the bed next to her kissing her hard, then he was slowly trailing kisses over her exposed skin. She was surprised when he merely licked once over each nipple before moving down again. He kissed every inch of her stomach before stopping and murmuring. "Hey baby, it's daddy. And I love your mommy so much. I know that I love you already too." He stopped and just rested his head on her stomach holding her tightly. "Thank you for bringing her back to me." He added so softly Sonja barely heard him. Then Sonja could feel his tears. She stroked his cheek with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair with the other.

Tears leaking from her own eyes for him she said softly, "I was going to call you today, I had just gotten home last night from my first case. I hated being out of your life. I spent the whole operation thinking about you. I didn't think I could quit I mean I had just started that could get me black listed. I didn't know what we would do, but I knew I need to talk to you. If for nothing else to just hear your voice. I could have died right there on the floor of my apartment when I heard you were dead. I don't know if I would have gotten up if Angie and then Rebecca hadn't shown up."

Someone knocked on the door and wiggled the handle. Chris growled as he heard them insert a key. He pulled Sonja's shirt down to cover her bare chest and stood to go meet them at the door.

"What?" Chris barked grabbing the door and keeping it from opening further no allowing them to see Sonja still on the bed. He relaxed a little when she inserted herself under his arm her shirt back on.

"We were not informed anyone new was joining the protectees." The man said looking pointedly at Sonja.

"This is my fiancé Sonja Percy, she is currently with fbi, formerly with ncis, and just got home from her under cover operation yesterday. No one told her I wasn't dead and she has had a very hard day. Her being here is nonnegotiable."

"I don't know you were engaged. We were briefed on your whole history."

"Because I just asked her today." Chris told him. "We are going to close this door, and you are not going to barge in again unless you think one of the three of us is in danger."

"Three?"

"I found out today that I'm pregnant. Is what he is trying to say." Sonja explained, "and for most of the day I believed that their daddy was dead. I'd like to go back to reassuring myself that's not true."

"Sonja Percy was your former partner." The guy said like I figured out your plot.

"Yes, and that's why pride was willing to risk sending her. He knows her, trusts her, and knows her abilities. Though he seems kinda pissed about something. Probably us not telling him about the baby."

"Yeah, we were kind of talking about it with out saying it out right and not in a way that would sound like baby to anyone else." Sonja added.

"I'd feel better if we all talked to pride." Chris growled in response to him saying that but Sonja just pulled him behind her toward the door he had said was the link to the office.

"How do you know where it is?"

"Chris told me when we walked through here. Role back the tapes you will see." She snapped.

As soon as the link opened Sonja snapped, "please tell this guard dog I'm allowed to be here so I can get some sleep."

Chris snorted and Sonja elbowed him. It made the ring flash and Pride zeroed in on that.

"You didn't have that on while you were here."

Sonja started shaking and thinking she was crying chris wrapped her up in his arms from behind trying to be comforting. He rested his head on hers, his hands resting protectively over her stomach.

"I have had enough. I woke up this morning and was told by a tv, a tv, not one of the people I counted as family, that the man I love is dead. His freaking lawyer shows up and reads me his will and confirms to me that he is dead, because why the hell else would she be reading me his will. Then because while she was there I was puking she forces me to take a pregnancy test. Now how can I be pregnant when we only spent one night together? I was thinking but I am and I am freaking out that I'm going to have to raise billionaire baby without his daddy and the damn doctor almost admits me because I can't calm down and that's bad for the baby. But I need to get to New Orleans to find out why you haven't released the body because I'm supposed to make the arrangements. And what the hell happens but you drag me into the sciff and chris is alive and just reading a god damn book. You get all mad because I wanted to be able to tell chris in person that he's gonna be a daddy before we tell anyone else. Though I sort of told him without using those words while we were talking that first time. Then because Rebecca was going to tell the will recipients an heir was found but will be unable to be tested for several months I had to go meet his mother on my own for the first time and not only tell her I was pregnant. Oh no I had to ask for a freaking ring because chris wanted to give it to me. Then while we were processing all of the emotions, and I'm pregnant so there are a lot of them, this asshole has the balls to tell me I'm not supposed to be here. Pride tell him I can stay or so help me I will go back to dc and Chris will follow me." By the time she got to the end of her rant she was sagging against Chris's arms. he was holding her up, and she was crying again.

"So like I said to the guard, Sonja has had a very hard day can we go lay back down?" Chris finished for her.

"I was just going to say congratulations Sonja." Pride said softly. "Sonja is family, and though emotional and stressed right now excellent at her job, she isn't a risk to the case there. You make her leave and she might just bring the whole thing down for spite."

"There is no might." She growled at the guard. Making chris laugh. "Shh city mouse you are getting what you want."

"She's not lying though. She goes, I go. I was going to tell you at the end of the case we were working on that I was leaving. But it sounds like Sonja is going to move home instead."

Pride nodded his understanding. "I'm amazed it took you three months to tell me that. The way you were after she left I knew you wouldn't stick around without her forever. Sonja you are welcome to come back after the baby if you want. Until then all I could offer is desk duty since I know you are pregnant. Not that you will need a job, not with what did you call the baby? billionaire baby and Chris around."

"Hey you try coming from a poor background and then suddenly having control of one of the largest privately owned companies in the world. I have no idea how to run a company much less one worth that much money."

"Me either." Chris muttered, "but I have been taking some business classes online."

Sonja was suddenly on her feet and running. Chris was right behind her and shouting, "door on the right baby." He ducked back into the link room. "She had me so worried about the puking earlier thinking she might be dying but now that I know it's our baby it just makes me want to hold her until it's over. I'm going to get her a snack and something to drink. Then we really are going to bed."

"Crackers and ginger ale or tea, if you have it chris." Pride called after him.

By the time chris came back with the crackers, ginger ale, and tea the guard was gone and Sonja was laying down.

"Hey, I know you haven't eaten a lot today but I have some crackers and a couple drinks if you want to try it." He said crouching down next to her.

"I wondered where you went. Thanks." She said taking the ginger ale and sitting up. "Could you find my toothbrush and paste for me? I'm a little shaky at the moment but my mouth is gross." She asked pointing at her suitcase. "Can I have one of your shirts to sleep in? I brought stuff but it's all new and I just need to be close to you tonight."

He kissed her forehead. "Anything you need. Lift your arms." He pulled off her shirt and then replaced it with the one off his back. "I have been wearing this one for just a few hours. It's my favorite, the softest one I own." He wiped the lone tear off her cheek gently with a thumb. He kissed the corner of her eye. "I love you, I'm so sorry for everything you had to go through today. Tomorrow will be a better day."

They were at the safe house for about a week before the rest of the team were finally able to capture the drug kingpin that had shot Chris. He had broken out of jail and was working on setting his drug empire again. The team took that all out in the process.

When pride read him his rights and listed the charges he couldn't help himself he said, "but the news said he was dead!"

"Thank you for admitting you shot Christopher LaSalle, I'm sure he will be happy to get out of the safe house." Pride told him a smile on his face. "You know he's a federal agent now. attempted murder of a federal agent includes a penalty of no parole and maximum security."

The team road together to the safe house that night to let them know they could finally leave. When they weren't in the living area when they got upstairs Pride stopped them from going into the suite. Instead he had them help him make dinner. He knew that Chris was alerted when someone came inside. If they weren't out here to see what was up then they were more than likely in the middle of something.

When they did emerge both had wet hair like they had been swimming or showering, based on Sonja's flush pride had guessed correctly about interrupting them. Chris used their joined hands to pull her into his lap on one of the chairs that faced the kitchen and looked expectantly at Pride.

"We wrapped him up and foiled his new operation this afternoon. You are good to leave and resume your life."

Sonja grinned at him and said, "oh good, now you get to go meet my mother on your own and tell her about the baby. And you have to wear a body cam so I can see it. I have been waiting for this."

"Hey! I couldn't go see my mom, you had to go." Chris said worried about that now based on her absolute glee. "Would is being married first make her better?" He asked hopefully.

"And her not being invited to the wedding? no baby, most certainly not. Oh come on tough guy like you backing out on a promise. I deal you made to your pregnant fiancé on the worst day of her life?"

"Not backing out, just wondering what might butter her up some."

Taking pity on him Pride asked, "how have you been feeling Sonja?"

"Much better, only a little sickness now and then. The nurses say my vitals are much better than they were the day I saw the doctor."

Tammy and Sebastian couldn't contain themselves any more and attached the couple with hugs.

"I didn't even know you guys were together." Sebastian said. "Now look at you, cute little family. All you need now is a dog."

Patton came over and hugged Sonja and gave Chris a fist bump saying. "I knew I was interrupting something."

"A fight yeah, about Chris pushing to hard for us to be something more than partners." Sonja said nodding remembering the day he was talking about.

"I knew you were gone dear the moment I took his shirt for evidence." Loretta told her making Sonja blush as she hugged her back.

"You have to admit it was a very nice view." Sonja said resting a hand on Chris's abs.

Pride laughed in the kitchen and said, "someone distract her, she is pregnant don't make her think like that or they will disappear and we will have to hold dinner until they come back, again."

That made Sonja blush and duck her head into Chris's neck. She muttered to just him, "you smell good." and started nibbling his neck, that made Chris blush.

"We have company," chris whispered into her ear.

"They brought it up." She pouted making Chris smile and laugh.

"No I'm pretty sure that was you sweetheart." He said moving slightly letting her feel what she did to him. He turned to pride trying to ignore Sonja's attentions. "Who did you say owns this building? I like it. A great place to keep a family safe and happy."

"It was taken by the nopd from a computer hacking take down. I bet they'd be willing to sell to one of their former officers. It's a little big for just you Sonja and the baby, don't you think?"

Chris laughed, "I bet you that one of our mothers will nearly always be here. And now I have talked with Sonja about this but I'd like more than just the one baby. I figured we'd see how we do with this one first before we talk about more."

The next day pride loaned them a camera and Chris went to her moms Sonja sitting outside in pattons van watching.

Chris knocked and waited for the door to be answered. Sonja watched as one of her sisters answered the door. She could hear the smile in his voice when he said, "hey miss Mia, is your mom home?"

"Do I know you?"

"I'm Christopher LaSalle, I was Sonja's partner while she was with ncis."

"The billionaire that wasn't really dead? Why are you here? Is Sonja ok?"

"She's great, is your mother home?"

He asked again.

Mia frowned, "why?"

Chris could hear Sonja laughing in his ear, he smiled loving the sound.

"Nope, Sonja only said I had to tell your mom. I'm not doing this over and over again so you can either go over to that van and see your sister or you can come with me to talk to your mom."

"Why is Sonja in a van?"

"Because I made her do something she didn't want to, now she is making me do this on my own. but she still wanted to watch it happen. And she just laughed manically about it so I'm a little worried."

"She gonna come in after you say whatever it is?" When chris nodded. Mia smiled then and added, "then I want to watch the show." She waived him into the house and Chris sent a worried look to the van and followed her in.

As they went Mia gathered the rest of their sisters and sat him in the living room with them and then went to get her mother. "You knew they were all here didn't you?" He muttered.

"Of course I did." Sonja laughed in his ear. "Just remember I love you."

That made him smile, he looked up just as her mom walked in. Chris stood up to greet her. "Hello mrs Percy, I'm chris..."

"You are that hot shot that pretended to be dead." Her mom cut him off.

"Well my team decided that while I was in surgery without my consent. Then kept me drugged until I was at the safe house." Chris answered.

She just starred at him. When he didn't elaborate she snapped, "well why are you here boy."

"So I made a deal with Sonja the day she heard I was dead." At her death glare he added, "she was my first concern when I woke up and a constant issue between me and the rest of the team while I was at the safe house. Since she wasn't with ncis and she was undercover they said they couldn't get to her to tell her."

"You are hoisting off a lot of blame here, this had better be good. What was the deal?"

"She had to go tell my mother something for me since I was in the safe house and couldn't. I told her I would do the same for her."

"Oh? And what exactly did your mothers need to know?"

Chris blushed, "well she had to get something from mine too."

"She is ok right? The way you are dancing around makes me think she got hurt. she's not here, she's not dead is she?"

"No ma'am Sonja is great. She'll be by later."

"Then what do I need to know?"

Chris cleared his throat looked down then back up and her and just said, "the day she heard I was dead she found out she was pregnant."

When he stopped Sonja hissed in his ear, "all of it."

So Chris continued, "and I asked her to marry me."

Her mom just stood there open mouthed. While around then her sisters broke out in squeals of glee.

"I think I broke her." Chris muttered for Sonja.

"Wait for it." Sonja said back.

"You knocked up my baby? And you felt bad for her so you asked her to marry you. She doesn't need your charity mr billionaire."

"Sorry for her?" Chris roared. "Do you even know your daughter? She is the strongest, most caring, selfless person I know. She would have never even let me ask if she didn't know that I love her and will love our baby just as much. She doesn't need me to raise them. Not that she believes that but she is going to be a great mom."

"What makes you so sure you love her and that she loves you?"

"i don't really know how to explain. We are magnetic. She left and I had decided to follow. But I'm here and she decided she wanted to come home, that was before she found out about the baby. The baby just convinced her that it was the right choice."

"How do you know it's yours?" Her mom asked and Chris looked at her shocked.

"Nope, no you know what I'm done baby. I will not have her talk about you like this. Girls Sonja is out side if you would like to see your sister. You ma'am are not welcome to come. And while I won't refuse you access to our child it will be on my terms." Chris said and he stormed out of the house.

Sonja ran over to meet him. She wrapped him in her arms and murmured to him softly. His forehead rested on hers. Her sisters stopped and watched the two letting Sonja calm him down. Her mother stood in the doorway watching as well confused why he was so pissed at her until she saw them together. Magnetic was a great word for them, they were solely focused on one another.

Eventually Sonja turned towards her mother, Chris moving to stand behind her. His hands were protectively over her stomach his head resting on hers. "There was never any question that Chris is the father. And he is pissed that you would even think that I would sleep around like that."

"I never said..."

"No mom, you asked if I was sure it was his. That implies I slept with enough men to not be sure. For legal reasons we will have a test done as it's required in his will. That has nothing to do with me and everything to do with some bitch that tried to pass off her kid as Chris's."


	8. After the end of season 4

A/N: I own nothing that's familiar.

Chris went home to clean up the mess with the company. He slid into a depression. Barely getting out of bed, not eating, getting the bare minimum done for the company. drinking most of the day just to numb himself. At night he stared at the picture on his night stand until he ended up taking pills to get to sleep. He didn't smile anymore, he barely spoke unless someone spoke to him.

Pride showed up at his mothers house nearly two months after he had been shot. She led pride to Chris's room looking dejected that she couldn't help her son. It was nearly nine in the morning and chris was still sleeping, despite having an 8 am meeting. He had a pill bottle knocked over on his bedside table and pills strewn all over the table and the floor. Food wrappers and clothes were all over most every service as well.

Seeing the pills pride went and checked him for a pulse and let out a sigh of relief that he was alive, though barely by the looks of him. He had easily lost 10 or more pounds. He noticed a picture then warn like he held it a lot sticking out from under his pillow. He pulled it out and was surprised to see Sonja Percy smiling back at him. He slid the picture back and stepped back into the hallway, closing the door behind himself.

"I'm not sure I'm the right person for this job. But I need to get some answers before I bring her in." Pride told his mother who had called ncis scared about Chris's behavior. Since Pride was still not allowed in the field after being shot he came himself to check on the younger man.

"Her?" His mother asked surprised.

"His partner left ncis just before he came home to work with the irs. That's her photo sticking out from under his pillow. It looks like he holds it every night. They had some tension going on for a while and I never could get them to tell me why. I guess I'm going to have to try and get through to her. Hopefully she won't be on a case."

Pride tried her cell phone first when she didn't answer he tried fbi headquarters and again she didn't answer. So he tried isler. She was on a case but not in the thick of things right then. Isler would have her Skype him securely.

A few minutes later she called looking concerned. "Pride what is the matter?" Then not recognizing where he was she asked, "where are you?"

"Alabama..."

She paled, "is chris ok?" She interrupted him.

"No. I need you to tell me what was with your tension before you left."

She frowned and crossed her arms closing off, "why? We talked and it stopped."

He sighed and took his phone into Chris's room and just showed her everything except the picture. Back in the hallway he said. "I need to know what happened because I think you might be the only person that can help him."

"Honestly nothing happened and that was the problem. After the tug bomb he told me he cared about me and I ran too scared to handle that. We had some awkwardness after that when we were alone together." She sighed before continuing. "We talked when you asked us too and I think he may have just agreed with me to not pursue anything between us because he knew I'd run again. Then with the ghost tour case we had talked about maybe retiring the mice but calling him the wrong one saved my life and I told him maybe we shouldn't." Shaking her head she added, "after Hamilton he brought up not trying anything for the good of the team because our tension was screwing everything up. I agreed with him but by then I would have said yes to trying if he had asked. Then I left."

"He has a very warn picture of you under his pillow." Pride said softly and he hated the tear that tracked down her face.

"I did this to him didn't I?" She asked.

"I don't know to tell you the truth I just got here saw him, and after checking for a pulse with the pills all over everywhere, I saw your picture and called you. His mom thought it was his dads company but he hasn't been talking to anyone so we don't know."

"You called because you thought it might be about the tension though? Can you do me a favor since I can't get there to do it myself right now. Toss a bucket of water on him and give your phone to him so we can talk?"

"Can I ask a question first?" When she nodded he asked, "are you done running now?"

"I was done after Hamilton but he pulled back then."

"Ok so then what?"

"That is more than one question. But I'll answer it all the same. Would you take me back? knowing that something might be going on with us?"

"This was a dream job Sonja, you really want to give that up?"

"The fbi isn't a team like we had, not family. No one has your back. oh they are there to watch you, but they'd let you die to help a case. Besides i may not have ever left if..." She trailed off, another tear trailing down her cheek.

Pride did as she asked and Chris came up swinging, like a pissed off cat. When he saw pride he stopped and visibly pulled into himself, sitting in the edge of the bed meekly. Pride not knowing what to say about Chris being meek about anything just held out his phone and walked away when chris took it, not even looking at pride or the screen. He looked up shocked when the door closed behind Pride. Only then did chris look at the phone wondering why pride had given him his phone.

"Sonja?" He asked confused. His voice sounded gravely, a combination of just waking up and not having used it much the last couple months.

"Want to tell me where your heads at?" She asked him gently.

"No." He answered simply.

"Ok let me rephrase. Tell me where your head is at. Trust me I'm going to be much nicer to deal with than pride right now."

"Or I could hang up and lock the door." He told her, looking embarrassed.

"You gonna hang up on me?" She asked shocked.

"No." He said softly turning away.

"Good, now where is your head at?"

"I miss you." He said so softly she barely heard him.

"I miss you too chris, but I don't look like I'm trying to kill myself. Pride had to check you for a pulse. And you have been scaring your mom so much she called ncis."

He didn't say anything but was thinking, that's because I have feelings for you and you don't return them.

"What's wrong country mouse? Why are you slipping away into a depression?"

"Depression is a sickness, it doesn't have to have a reason." He tried.

"You are one of the least depressed people I have ever met. Something changed, tell me please?" She asked a tear rolling down her check.

That broke chris, "please don't cry." He whispered, his voice breaking. "Sonja I can't... Please don't cry. Please!"

Pride in the hallway almost went back in the room then hearing the desperation in his voice. But it sounded like Sonja really was who needed to be the one to have this talk with him.

"Then talk to me chris, please. Seeing you like this is killing me. If I wasn't... I'd be on the next plane. Hell I might burn a bridge and be on the next plane anyway."

"are you safe?" He asked her understanding she was on a case by her hesitation.

"Right this moment I'm fine, but yeah I'm out of town." She answered cautiously.

"I can't believe he'd endanger you like this!" Chris seethed.

"It's a secure line chris."

"But anybody could get to you while you are on the phone! Hear your half at least. Hell you know our geeks can hack so you can hear both sides. Other people could have that too."

"I'll take that risk then..."

"No." He answered, "not for me."

"Yes, for you. You idiot!" She snapped seeing him about to hang up on her.

That made him stop and stare at her. "Why?"

"Because despite you pulling back after Hamilton I love your stupid ass." She answered yelling at him.

"What?" He asked looking pale and shocky.

"Chris I love you. Please take care of yourself until I can get home." She said gently this time.

"Why did you leave then?" He asked sounding hurt.

"Because some dumbass told me nothing was going to happen between us when I was going to tell him how I felt. then pride went all peace at all costs, and then fbi offered a dream job, that turns out isn't really what I was dreaming about."

"What do you dream about now?" Chris asked sounding like himself for the first time in a while.

"Coming home, being back on ncis, having our team as a family again, not waking up alone anymore. What do you dream about?"

"You." He answered with a sigh. "I can't sleep without the pills, then with them I see you dead or dying and it kills me. Please come back to me." He added the last in a broken voice so quiet she barely heard him.

"I already asked Pride if I could come back. But before then we need to settle what we are going to do about our feelings. I don't want to go back to ignoring them."

"No, we shouldn't do that. Come home and let me take you out?" He asked ducking his head like he expected her to turn him down.

"I'd love to go out on a date with you chris. And I will start working on coming home."

"I have to warn you though. Our first date might just be me holding you and telling myself you are real and alive."

She smiled softly at him and said, "you aren't the only one with fears. If pride hadn't already told me he had checked you for a pulse I'd have made him. You really need to work on yourself until I get back. Maybe see a counselor."

They chatted for a while until Sonja was happy that he wasn't going to swallow a handful of pills, not that she told him that.

"Ok, so I'm going to probably have to finish this case but I'll try and be home as soon as I can. Are you going to be ok without me in contact until then? I don't know if I can get permission for this again. Pride called isler to get it setup this time."

"I've got the company sorted with the irs so I can head Back to New Orleans, I just hadn't had the will to make the effort before. Closer to the team they should be able to keep me in line for a while at least. Not that I won't try, but I didn't do so well this time on my own."

"I have to go now."

"Ok, call if you can. If not I'll be waiting for you to come home."

"I will, I love you chris. Please be safe for me."

"I love you too Sonja. I will. You keep your head down ok?"

Nearly a month later Sonja hobbled into ncis, one arm in a sling. They were on a case but Chris was in desk duty until the counselor cleared him, so he was the only one in the squad room.

"Sonja!" He said jumping up from his desk and running over to gently give her a hug. "This doesn't look like you were safe." He said into her hair.

"Well the fbi isn't a family like ncis. they'd have sat back and watched me die if it helped the case."

"Then I'm so glad you decided to come home." He said kissing her hair.

"While I'm so happy to see you too, we are supposed to be professional at work. Pride gave us ground rules for dating as co-workers." She reminded him.

"You are right, I'm sorry. But first," he said pulling back and giving her a kiss.

A few minutes later Gregorio walked in and said, "break it up! pride is right behind me." And shooed them away from one another. "Here wipe your face." She said handing Chris a tissue. "You go to the bathroom and fix your lipstick. Go." She added when they didn't move fast enough.

Pride walked in just as chris threw out the tissue. "I was talking to you." He said frowning at Tammy. Then he noticed the grin on Chris's face. "You were not being work appropriate were you? And you knew she was here? How?" Pride asked moving between chris and Tammy.

"She had texted letting me know she was gonna stop in today and pick up her gear."

Chris just leaned on his desk and grinned. Pride nearly left it alone because it was just nice to see the younger man seem happy again. "I gave those rules for a reason."

"I know, but since she is just here to get her stuff. is she on the job today and does it count?"

"She's not but you are." Pride answered an chris pouted. "But I guess since you are on desk duty and not in the field it's not dangerous today. Just don't start making it a habit."


End file.
